Els: MBN360 General News
The Office of the Attorney General has dismissed allegations of unfair treatment and denial of legal access in the re-arrest and ongoing investigations involving the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company, Abdul Wahab Hanan Aludia.
Speaking to journalists after proceedings at the Accra High Court, Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Justice Srem Sai, defended the conduct of investigators and insisted that due process had been strictly followed.
Dr. Srem Sai was responding to allegations made by former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame, who had reportedly questioned the handling of the case, including claims that lawyers representing the former Buffer Stock CEO were denied access during interrogation processes.
According to Dr. Srem Sai, the allegations were inaccurate and failed to reflect the actual sequence of events surrounding the investigation. “That is false. Completely false,” he stated while addressing claims that legal representatives were prevented from participating in the interrogation process.
Investigators Waited for Legal Team
The Deputy Attorney General explained that the suspect was expected to cooperate with investigators immediately after being discharged, but the process was interrupted after he reportedly fell ill and was taken to the hospital.
“He fell sick and was taken to the hospital,” Dr. Srem Sai explained. According to him, once the suspect returned from medical treatment, investigators remained available and prepared to proceed with questioning, but had to wait for the legal team to arrive before any interrogation could take place.
“Because you cannot interrogate a suspect in the absence of his lawyer,” he noted. “And we know the accused person had lawyers. So it is fair and right and the proper thing to do to wait for the lawyers to come.”Dr Justice Srem Sai, Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice
He further claimed that despite the wait, the former Attorney General and his lawyers failed to show up for the interrogation process. “He was nowhere to be found,” the Deputy Attorney General stated.
Criticism Over Public Commentary
Dr. Srem Sai also criticized Godfred Yeboah Dame for discussing the matter extensively in the media instead of accompanying his client during the investigative process.
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According to him, the former Attorney General had chosen to grant interviews on television and radio programmes while investigators awaited his presence. “I think it was the same time that he was on TV and radio, granting interviews,” he remarked.
The Deputy Attorney General suggested that if the former Attorney General had been directly involved in the interrogation process, he would have had a clearer understanding of the issues surrounding the alleged fresh evidence in the case.
“Instead of him accompanying his clients to the interrogation, he is sitting on TV, calling into radio programmes and talking,” he stated. Dr. Srem Sai maintained that claims suggesting there was no fresh evidence lacked basis because the former Attorney General had not actively participated in the ongoing investigative procedures.
Fresh Evidence Dispute Deepens
A major issue in the dispute between the Attorney General’s office and Godfred Yeboah Dame concerns the existence of fresh evidence that could potentially lead to additional charges.
The former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah reportedly argued that there was no fresh evidence and no pending case to justify discussions about possible fresh charges.
Responding to the allegation, Dr. Srem Sai questioned how Godfred Dame could confidently conclude that no fresh evidence existed without being directly involved in the interrogation process.
“How would he know? He has no basis to know whether there is fresh evidence or not because he has not accompanied his client to the office of the Attorney General.”Dr Justice Srem Sai, Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice
According to him, the suspect was expected to return for further questioning, during which investigators would formally present and discuss the newly gathered evidence.
Legal Process Must Be Followed
Dr. Srem Sai explained that Ghana’s criminal justice procedures require investigators to first confront suspects with newly gathered evidence before prosecutors can determine whether additional charges should be filed.
According to him, fresh evidence cannot simply be introduced in court without first hearing from the accused person. “You cannot just come to court when you have fresh evidence in a criminal trial and start throwing in the evidence,” he explained.
