President John Mahama has reiterated his government’s dedication to resolving high-profile murder cases that remain unsolved, including the killings of investigative journalist Ahmed Suale and former Member of Parliament J.B. Danquah-Adu. After a visit from the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), the President stated that he has instructed state investigative bodies to adopt a more proactive approach in tackling these cases to ensure that justice is served.
“We are committed to the protection of human rights and investigating significant killings and murders that have remained uninvestigated,” he stated. “That is why I have urged the police and investigative organisations to look more actively into cases like Ahmed Suale’s.” He announced that this renewed effort has already led to a suspect being arrested in Ahmed Suale’s case.
“That is how come a first suspect has been arrested, and we are hoping that his interrogation will lead to further arrests,” he said. The President also called for an expedited prosecution process in the J.B. Danquah-Adu murder case while pushing for further investigations to determine if additional suspects were involved.
“There are several other cases, like the J.B. Danquah murder case. We are asking that the prosecution process be expedited and for further investigations to be carried out to determine if any other persons were involved,” he said.
The President also rejected claims that his government and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are hostile towards the judiciary. He emphasised that his administration respects the judicial system and is committed to working closely with it. “We also have the issue I thought I should raise about the judiciary and the perception of the judiciary. I believe that it is anecdotal, I mean, several surveys asking Ghanaians what their opinion of the judiciary is have not come out positively,” he said.
He stressed that all stakeholders must work together to strengthen public confidence in the judiciary. “I believe that it is a duty for all of us to work to make sure that we have a judiciary that is trusted,” he said.
He rejected suggestions that the NDC is hostile towards the legal fraternity, pointing out that key members of his government, including the Legal Counsel to the President, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, have always worked professionally with the judiciary. “Government is open to working with you, particularly on our side of the political divide.
This perception that we have a problem with the legal fraternity and things like that I think that if you look at the kind of people we have, Marietta Brew and all of us sitting here, we are not people who have any such animosity towards the judiciary and the legal fraternity,” he said.
By: Clara Seshie
