The Attorney General and Minister of Justice Designate, Dominic Akuritinga Ayine has declared a strong opposition against the reintroduction of the criminal and other offences bill.
The minister-designate told members of the appointment committee of parliament during his vetting on Monday, January 13, 2025, that he disagreed with the primary reasoning of the bill. He was also quick to point out that he was ready to thoroughly review its provisions to make it effective and fair.
“If the Hon. Member [Patrick Boamah] is seeking to know from me whether, in terms of the scope and substantive content of that bill, it will be introduced as it was, my answer is no. I disagree fundamentally with some of its logic,” Dr. Ayine stated.
In June 2022, the then Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Dame introduced an amendment to the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30) to parliament, which was subsequently passed on June 27. This amendment formally incorporated plea bargaining into Ghana’s justice system for the first time.
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However, the Minister Designate argued that preliminary applications do not have the tendency to delay trials as many have asserted, and lawyers should have the liberty to file as many applications as possible while avoiding restrictions by legislation.
“The whole idea that preliminary applications are being used to delay conclusions of trials—I disagree fundamentally. I think that lawyers shouldn’t be constrained. If there are technical issues that judges have overlooked, lawyers should bring as many applications as they can. Some of these applications are fundamental in terms of seeking to do right by the law and procedure under Act 30. So, I disagree fundamentally with it,” he argued.
He further delegated responsibility to the judiciary to facilitate seamless and expedited processes to allow substantive trials to continue.
“It is incumbent on the judiciary to dispose of those [applications] in an expeditious manner so that the substantive trial can proceed,” he added.