"I'd Jail All ORAL Suspects If It Were Up to Me”: Mahama Calls for Patience in Corruption Fight
- President Mahama urges patience in ongoing ORAL corruption investigations and legal proceedings
- Government engages judiciary for expedited processing of legal cases amidst public frustrations
- Mahama highlights importance of constitutional due process and presumption of innocence in democracy
President John Dramani Mahama has appealed to the Ghanaian public for patience regarding the ongoing investigations and legal proceedings into the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) corruption cases.
Speaking during his ‘Resetting Ghana Tour’ in the Eastern Region over the weekend, the President acknowledged the public’s frustration over the speed of the trials but emphasised the necessity of following constitutional due process.
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Gov;t engages judiciary to expedite legal proceedings
In a report by MynewsGH, President Mahama stated that while he shares the public's desire for swifter resolutions, the executive arm of government is limited by the constitutional separation of powers.
He confirmed that discussions have been held with the Chief Justice to ensure the matters move through the courts more efficiently.
“I want the cases to be fast-tracked, but I can’t force the judges to be fast about it. We have separation of powers. I am the executive, and they are the judiciary. We have spoken to the Chief Justice so that he will ensure that the cases are fast-tracked. So that whoever flouted the laws can be dealt with,” the President stated.
Addressing the difference between the current democratic framework and previous military regimes, the President noted that modern governance requires the presumption of innocence.
He highlighted that there are currently around seven cases before the courts, with an additional five or six potentially heading for trial.
Drawing a comparison to the era of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), he explained that while his personal instincts might favour swifter action, his oath of office binds him to the rule of law.
“There are about seven cases in court, and there are five or six cases that may also go to court. We are running a democracy. If it were Rawlings’ PNDC, we would have just gone to arrest and jail them. But in a democratic government, you are innocent until proven guilty,” he explained.
Mahama appeals for patients on ORAL
President Mahama admitted that if he were not bound by the Constitution, his approach to the suspects would be significantly more aggressive.
However, he urged the citizenry to allow the legal system to complete its work to ensure the finality of the verdicts.
“If I had my way, I would have arrested and jailed all suspects in the ORAL cases for them to prove their innocence or complicity in the cases brought against them, but that can’t be done because I swore to uphold the Constitution. So I plead with you to have patience,” he told the gathering.
The President concluded by reaffirming that the process must endure the "full rigours of the law" to ensure that justice is not only done but is seen to be legally sound.
Source: YEN.com.gh
