Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame has explained why he has refrained from reviewing the report on galamsey by former Environment Minister, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.
According to him, despite his interest in probing the report, as a precaution, he deemed it most appropriate for independent bodies to investigate it.
“I am interested in it, but of course, certain fora have been invoked. I understand CHRAJ sees of it, the OSP sees of it. If now I, as Attorney General were to review the report, what would you think? I’m sure it will lend itself to all kinds of suspicions,” he said in an exclusive interview with Kojo Yankson.
“I think that really, I can look at the report and review it, but if I do so you the same media will say ‘he’s just a government’s lawyer.’ Yes, let independent people look at it,” Mr Dame stated in the exclusive interview aired on Joy FM Tuesday.
The Attorney General, however, assured Ghanaians that although at the moment he was not actively involved in investigation into what he called Professor Frimpong-Boateng’s opinion, the necessary procedures were being followed to probe it.
He also disclosed that Professor Frimpong-Boateng has also been invited by the police for interrogations.
Subsequently, Mr Dame explained that there was no need for him to intervene with the investigative processes because the docket to be drafted from the professor’s allegations will eventually be transferred to his office by the police.
He added that subsequently, his outfit will assess whether Professor Frimpong-Boateng’s report will be competent for prosecution.
“So really, I’ve not removed myself from the process, I’m part of it. It’s just due process that will have to be followed,” he reiterated.
Mr Dame advised the media not to regard the report as sacrosanct until it is legally proven.
“But a caution and admonition that I would like to give you, the media is that do not raise the level of it and do not accord any sanctity to the report until it has gone through the test prescribed by law.”
On April 20, a leaked report compiled by Professor Frimpong-Boateng had the former minister name some top government officials as being complicit in the illegal mining menace.
In the report, the renowned heart surgeon indicated that the rot goes as high as the seat of government —the Jubilee House.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng stressed that the allegations of some 500 missing excavators seized from illegal miners in 2020 were fabrications of some persons in government to get him sacked.
Following the claim, there were calls from a cross-section of Ghanaians for state security agencies to look into the report.
Subsequently, President Akufo-Addo asked the Ghana Police Service to probe the matter.
Source: myjoyonline.com
