The Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has stressed that adherence to due process is fundamental to Ghana’s justice system and should never be treated as a loophole for shielding wrongdoing.
His comment comes after the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) takes centre stage once again.
Following a fiery press briefing, the OSP says charges are ready against former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and five others over the SML-GRA contract saga, a case expected in court before month-end.
Appearing on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, November 1, Mr Ahiagbah emphasised that while the fight against corruption remains essential, it must not come at the expense of fairness and the rule of law.
“The due process is not a loophole for the corrupt or the lawbreaker it is the foundation of justice,” he said.
“When we go out there and we aim at due process in a manner that we are just simply because we want to fight corruption, which we all support, and on the altar of that we sacrifice all processes that must be accorded the individual, our constitution provides for it.”
Mr Ahiagbah cautioned that undermining procedural justice in the pursuit of accountability could erode confidence in the legal system and set a dangerous precedent.
“This is what we are seeing, but I believe it is not a loophole. It is the basis of our justice system and we should grant it. We should allow the laws to work,” he said.
Drawing from a remark by former President Akufo-Addo, Mr Ahiagbah noted that due process serves as a safeguard for all citizens including those who may one day find themselves on the receiving end of prosecution.
“I remember former President Akufo-Addo saying that due process is such an interesting thing that when you are at the receiving end, you find it a comfort, and that it must be extended to you. It is an essential component of our justice system, and we must accord it to everyone to ensure that, at the end of the day, everybody’s rights are respected,” he added.