On 22nd December, 2009 Betty Mould Iddrisu the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the republic of Ghana was reported to have indicated her government’s overwhelming desire to prosecute ex-government officials in the New Year aggressively.
To quote joyfm “The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu has given strong indication that her outfit will from next year aggressively prosecute former government officials suspected of committing crimes”
I have every problem with this statement for endless reasons. The number one question to ask Betty is that, is she an Attorney General and Minister of Justice just to prosecute ex-government officials? I must say that, not only was I disappointed of this statement I was also embarrassed excessively that, an Attorney General of my country Ghana could make such a preposterous comment over such an issue as to prosecute alleged suspects mainly ex-government officials in the media!
Ghana is currently confronted with lots of crimes, Military brutalities, example Bawku, and rapes of girls by security forces example Gambaga, road side killings, and unprofessional behaviour of the police at least in relation to their conduct at Kinapharma etc.
Then in the midst of all these happenings an Anthony General and Minister of Justice come on radio and not talk about general prosecutions in 2010 but rather specific aggressive prosecutions of ex-government officials and is happy with that!
She went ahead to boast of what she has achieved in life which to me was unnecessary, because everybody has achieved something in life. Some breaking the glass ceilings under very hard situations. So Betty must spare us these noises of achievements!
Betty Mould Iddrisu must be told in her face that, her statement was nothing but an outright threat and desire to be vindictive as Attorney General of the republic of Ghana. In the light of that, I will like to advise her to resign or be reassigned by President Mills.
That infamous statement has presented her in a situation where she can’t be trusted to deliver justice to all Ghanaians. Let us remind her that, Ghana is not anybody’s NGO and the office of Attorney General is not her personal property as well, to warrant her decide who to prosecute and who not to prosecute aggressively in 2010.
Betty Mould Iddrisu must go back to the media to tell Ghanaians and the world why she did not talk about those of her colleague members of the NDC who were alleged to have taken bribes in the Mabey and Johnson case and who were even compelled to resign their positions in government? Will they also be aggressively prosecuted??
Why didn’t Betty reveal how she would aggressively prosecute former Sports Minister Muntanka Mubarak who not only used state resources to buy pampers for the baby, but only financed the trips of the girl friend under false titles to several countries?
The Attorney General must also let us know why her New Year resolution of aggressive prosecution of ex-government officials precluded Mohammed Mumuni current foreign Affairs Minister who had allegation around his neck about the NVTI issues?
Why didn’t Betty Mould Iddrisu give an indication of government desire to prosecute those perceived NDC supporters who were killed at the Agbogloshie market in broadday lights and in front of a police station this year? Are the suspects also going to be aggressively prosecuted in 2010?
The other question I want Betty Mould Iddrisu to answer is that, will she find and prosecute those BNI officials who allegedly assaulted Salifu Maikanni the day Mr and Mrs Asamoah Boateng were detained by the BNI and died the following day?
The simple logic is that, the Minister should not think that, Ghanaians have only cotton in their brains and will not ask marathon questions if she makes statements that clearly show what her motives are. We are in a democratic dispensation and such militaristic comments must be opposed by all no matter what!
Nobody can dispute this; there is no minister of Justice in the history of Ghana who was hugely and excessively floored in court in the spate of 11months than Betty. Any body can do a comparative analysis at less of the first year of the NPP Attorney General and the first year of Betty’s term.
Let me tell you something some of the reasons for her marathon defeats in court are just her enthusiasm to prosecute by all means! It is like she is very anxious to satisfy somebody living at ridge in Accra with the wife who wanted her to be running mate to then candidate Mills and who seem to be drinking from the same prosecute them cup!
Attorney General Betty must be told that, cases are tried and won in courts not in the media. If she runs to the media to announce her intentions to prosecute ex-government officials aggressively in 2010, the same media would be more than right to amplify her endless defeats in court especially involving cases I will call “Kindergarten” cases.
I rest my case here while informing Betty Mould Iddrissu that, Ghanaians are willing to die for justice in Ghana and to as well protect the human rights of everybody. Any mysterious prosecutions, she must be told would be resisted by Ghanaians!
Akilu Sayibu, UK
Email: Akilu.Sayibu@live.uwe.ac.uk
Copyright © 1994 - 2024 GhanaWeb. All rights reserved.
