Godfred Dame is Ghana's former Attorney General and Minister of Justice
Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has rejected claims that efforts to speed up criminal prosecutions were politically motivated to secure convictions ahead of elections.
His comments come amid ongoing public debate about the timing and intent of prosecution-related reforms during the previous administration.
In an interview on JoyNews on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, Dame dismissed suggestions that his actions were aimed at political opponents, insisting the reforms were driven by a broader concern over delays in the criminal justice system.
“Definitely not, definitely not,” Dame stated emphatically when asked if the move was for political gain.
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“So, a bill when passed or a law when passed has general application in the Ghanaian jurisdiction. A law, when passed, applies in the whole of the Republic.”
According to him, his primary concern was systemic, explaining that the initiative enjoyed wide support, including from civil society and the international community.
He recalled personally writing to national institutions to push for faster prosecutions and leading a delegation of senior lawyers, including the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Solicitor General, to England to study best practices in criminal prosecution.
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“My concern was the delay in criminal prosecution generally. I actually remember also leading attorneys from my office, the DPP, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Solicitor General, to go on a visit to England to undertake a study of how criminal prosecution is done effectively,” he said.
Dame further said that visible actions were taken to strengthen the system as a whole, rather than for partisan advantage.
About Criminal Prosecution Reforms during Tenure of Godfred Dame
During his tenure as Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame initiated major reforms in Ghana’s criminal justice system, primarily through amendments to the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30).
Key reforms introduced included:
1. Plea Bargaining (Passed into Law)
In June 2022, Parliament passed the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) (Amendment) Act, 2022 (Act 1079). This was the first comprehensive introduction of plea bargaining in Ghana’s justice system. It allows accused persons (in eligible cases) to admit guilt and negotiate with the prosecution for a reduced sentence or lesser charge.
Exceptions: Serious offences such as murder, rape, robbery, treason, defilement, genocide, kidnapping, piracy, hijacking, and election-related offences are excluded.
Objectives: Reduce case backlog in courts, decongest prisons, and speed up justice delivery.
2. Broader Procedural Reforms (Bill Laid in 2024)
Dame laid a more comprehensive Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) (Amendment) Bill in Parliament in March 2024.
Key proposed changes included: Day-to-day trials of criminal cases (except where impracticable) to minimise adjournments.
Restrictions on interlocutory appeals — these can only be filed after a “submission of no case” ruling, to prevent deliberate delays.
Reform of the jury system — reducing exemptions from jury service and adding alternate jurors.
Scrapping trials on indictment except for offences punishable by death or life imprisonment.
Use of video conferencing for witness examination and adoption of proceedings.
These measures were designed to tackle prolonged criminal trials and improve overall efficiency in the justice system.
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