The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame has requested critics who think he should proceed to court with what he says are empty allegations against named individuals in or associated with the government to have flouted mining laws to supply credible evidence for their prosecution.
The persons involved are cited in the controversial report by former Environment Minister, Prof Frimpong Boateng.
Godfred Yeboah Dame made this call in an interview on Joy FM’s MiddayNews on Wednesday.
He said, “Indeed I request of you the media who perhaps are giving vent to all these unfounded allegations made by people to supply any piece of evidence against any individual named in the report which has not been discussed or examined by the Attorney General in the advice to the CID.”
“Those who are making wild allegations in the media should furnish me with any evidence that they have against any individual named in the report,” he added.
Frimpong-Boateng’s galamsey report empty; no evidence to aid prosecution – AG to CID
This follows private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu and National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress, Sammy Gyamfi criticising the the advice of the Attorney General to the CID on Prof Frimpong Boateng’s report.
Mr Kpebu described the AG’s advice as incomplete and a whitewash while Mr Gyamfi said that the advice from his office is yet another attempt to cover up clear acts of corruption on the part of government officials and members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The Attorney General has advised that former Environment Minister, Prof Frimpong Boateng’s allegations in his report on illegal mining activities in the country are empty and do not have evidence to prosecute the persons named in it.
The Attorney General therefore asked the police to discharge the persons mentioned in the report except those still under investigation.
But responding to the condemnation of his advice, Mr Yeboah Dame stated that the work of the Attorney General is not subject to political commentary. However, it is a serious matter of which dockets are built on the strength of evidence that has been properly unearthed through proper investigations.
“If there is no evidence against the person, it is actually the height of injustice for you to suggest that there should be a charge or two against such a person. What is the evidence in support of any of the allegations contained in the report? Absolutely none at all and that is the issue at stake,” he said.
He explained that the review of dockets from the CID was specific in relation to allegations contained against named individuals in Prof Boateng’s report.
He noted that CID built a docket on the matter after it critically examined all persons named in the said report after it was directed by the President to examine the report.
The Attorney General went on to say that a statement was then taken from each individual cited in the report.
However, “in the statement given by each of the individuals, they categorically denied any allegation against them.”
According to Mr Yeboah Dame, after the denial, they had the burden to probe the matter further hence the decision to reach out to Prof Frimpong Boateng for evidence to assist the CID, adding that he refused to cooperate or give a written statement.
With that said, he noted that the “CID proceeded further to probe all the allegations against each of the individuals and they could not unearth anything at all.”
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