The Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has strongly criticised the Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, over what he perceives as an unjust approach to legal investigations, particularly in the context of the ongoing anti-corruption drive.

He raised concerns that the tactics employed in these investigations are not only unfair but could also be politically motivated, undermining the legal principle of justice.

Speaking on JoyNews AM Show, Mr Assafuah argued that individuals should not be presumed guilty before they have been given a fair opportunity to defend themselves in court.

He referenced Chapter 5 of Ghana’s Constitution, which guarantees the fundamental human rights of every citizen.

"Under the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, particularly Chapter 5, which outlines the fundamental human rights of individuals, it is unequivocal that no person should be presumed guilty before being given a fair trial," Mr Assafuah said.

His remarks came in the wake of a media briefing by Dr Ayine regarding the ongoing investigations into the government’s anti-corruption drive and the "Operation Recover All Loot" initiative.

During the briefing, Dr Ayine discussed various corruption cases being investigated, but Mr Assafuah expressed strong reservations about the handling of these cases in the public domain.

He criticised the tendency to publicly label individuals as guilty before they have had the chance to prove their innocence in a court of law.

“You are supposed to be presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Mr Assafuah stated. “But what are we seeing in this country? With what the Attorney General did yesterday [Tuesday], and the tactics being employed by the NDC, individuals are being publicly labelled guilty before they even have the chance to prove their innocence. This is not only unfair, but it is also deeply shameful.”

Mr Assafuah, who says he knows Dr Ayine personally, expressed disappointment with his actions. He suggested that Dr Ayine may be under pressure from his government and political party to use the investigations to damage the reputation of former officials of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

"I know Dr Ayine very well, and this is not the Dr Ayine that I know," Mr Assafuah remarked. “Go and ask any senior MP, and they will tell you this is not the same person. I believe there is immense pressure on him from his party and government to tarnish the reputation of NPP officials and disgrace the party.”

Further expressing his concerns, Mr Assafuah stated, “I am not sure if he is acting out of his own conviction, but it certainly seems as though external pressures are influencing his actions.”

He concluded by reiterating his belief that justice must be served through proper legal channels, without the interference of political agendas.