Audio By Carbonatix
Private legal practitioner and Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority, Abraham Amaliba, says the Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine should provide concrete evidence that the state has recovered 60% of funds in the Unibank case.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, August 2, Mr Amaliba said while the Attorney General’s decision to adopt a non-conviction-based asset recovery approach may be legally sound, it must be justified with verifiable results.
“We need to subject that decision to scrutiny. Is it actually true that 60% has been recovered? We need evidence to show that,” Mr Amaliba stated.
Dr Ayine, who recently announced that the state would pursue recovery without necessarily seeking a criminal conviction. Mr Amaliba defended this decision as a possible strategic move after a thorough legal review.
“You have an Attorney General who has inherited a case that’s been running for seven years. He will definitely review the case,” he explained. “He may have looked at the matter and concluded, ‘I cannot guarantee a conviction, so why don’t I cut my losses and recover what I can for the state?’”
He added, “Anytime you put together lawyers from the Attorney General’s Department to prosecute a matter, it is an expense to the state. If the Attorney General believes the state benefits more through recovery than prosecution, that’s a valid consideration.”
Mr Amaliba argued that the ultimate priority should be recovering state funds, not merely securing high-profile convictions. “As a nation and as a people, are we interested in recovering what has been lost, or are we interested in seeing a full trial where, in the end, someone might walk free?” he asked.
Read also: Duffuor Case: AG defends withdrawal, says partial recovery better than nothing
Responding to critics who claim the Attorney General is favouring individuals linked to the NDC, like Dr Duffour, Mr Amaliba dismissed the notion as politically motivated.
“Why is the prosecution always about NDC-connected people? This same Attorney General, Dr Ayine, once prosecuted my own brother when he previously held the same office,” he revealed.
He also addressed public concern over the principle of necessity, noting that legal decisions can still stir public debate. “Whatever decision you take, once it’s supported by law, doesn’t mean people will not feel uncomfortable. But at the end of the day, the law must prevail,” he said.
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