The Attorney-General’s Office has officially dropped the charges against former Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffour and seven other individuals accused of financial misconduct during Ghana’s financial sector clean-up.
In a press release issued today, Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai announced that a nolle prosequi had been entered in the case, The Republic v. Kwabena Duffour & 7 Others (CR/0248/2020).
While the law does not require the Attorney-General to provide specific reasons for such a decision, the statement emphasized that the move was made in the interest of transparency and public accountability.
This case was part of a broader series of prosecutions stemming from the government’s 2018 financial sector reforms, aimed at addressing financial irregularities and recovering losses to the State.
The Attorney-General’s Office outlined a benchmark for reconsidering prosecutions, which included the recovery of at least 60% of the alleged losses.
“After extensive negotiations and engagements, the accused parties have successfully met this recovery threshold,” the statement noted.
It added that continuing the trial would no longer serve any “additional public purpose,” and thus, discontinuing the case was deemed to be in the best interest of the nation.
However, the Attorney-General stressed that the decision should not be construed as an endorsement of the accused’s actions.
“This does not suggest that no wrongdoing occurred or that any misconduct has been cleared. Rather, it is a pragmatic step aimed at securing the nation’s resources,” the statement read.
The Office also reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting the public purse.
