AG has no power to declare anyone a criminal - Elvis Darko
Elvis Darko has criticized the Attorney General and Minister of Justice
The Editor of Newscenta newspaper, Elvis Darko, has slammed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, over his recent public briefing on the National Service Authority (NSA) scandal.
According to him, the public announcement of the alleged offenses of the former government officials implicated in the ongoing ghost names scandal probe is premature and inappropriate.
Speaking on Channel One TV on June 16, 2025, Darko expressed disappointment in what he described as the Attorney General’s rush to label individuals and organisations as part of a “criminal enterprise” prior to a court ruling.
“The Attorney General knows that he has already convicted people by saying that it’s a criminal enterprise because he’s making pronouncements. But I think that pronouncement doesn’t lie in the mouth of the Attorney General. The pronouncement only lies in the mouth of the courts,”he said.
He argued that while the state may suspect wrongdoing and conduct investigations, guilt can only be determined through due legal process.
According to him, publicly labeling people as criminals before a court decision, undermines the presumption of innocence and risks prejudicing public opinion.
“We are journalists and when we write such stories, we are told to say ‘alleged’, ‘suspicion’, or ‘accused’. We don’t make categorical statements as though the person has been found guilty. The Attorney General should do the same,” he added.
Darko also questioned the relevance of the Attorney General’s press conferences, insisting that updates should come through the courts.
“Why should they give me an update? What do I need an update for? I need a court to make a pronouncement for me to know whether what you presented to the court is factual or not,” he said.
He emphasised the need for caution, stating that while public officials must be held accountable, it is the court and not political appointees who must determine who’s guilty or not.
AS/VPO
