Kufuor had no hand in Abodakpi's prosecution - Akufo-Addo

Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has expressed disappointment in Mr Daniel Abodakpi, a former minister of state, for dragging “President Kufuor and me into his party’s internal contest.”

Mr Abodakpi, who has expressed interest to contest the chairmanship of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), accused former President John Kufuor and Nana Addo of collusion in his prosecution and subsequent conviction at an Accra Fast Track High Court.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Nana Akufo-Addo dismissed the allegations as untrue.

“The allegations by Mr Abodapki on these matters are, with respect, false and I hope that this statement from me will help set the records straight.”

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, the contents of an interview granted by Mr Abodakpi on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show on Monday, June 23, 2014, had been brought to his notice. He stated that of particular concern to him were some allegations made by the former Minister of Trade under President Rawlings regarding his prosecution and subsequent conviction by the Accra Fast Track High Court.

Nana Akufo-Addo recalled that on February 5, 2007, the Court, after an exhaustive trial, found Mr Abodakpi and one other guilty on seven counts of conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretences and wilfully causing financial loss to the State.

“I find it unfortunate that Mr Abodakpi, who has announced his intention to contest for the chairmanship of the National Democratic Congress, will drag President Kufuor and me into his party’s internal contest,” he stated.

In the interview, Mr Abodakpi claimed that on the decision to prosecute him, he knew “for a fact” that I, as Attorney-General, advised President Kufuor “that this is not the way to go on this matter.” He further alleged, “I know President Kufuor himself called for the docket and ordered some people to proceed with the prosecution. It wasn’t Nana Akufo-Addo who presented my case in court.”

“I am surprised that a senior political figure such as Ambassador Abodapki would make such an unguarded statement. Mr Abodapki could not have known for a fact that I, as Attorney-General, was against his prosecution since no prosecution can go forward unless the Attorney-General is satisfied that a prima facie case has been raised against the accused. Political considerations do not enter into the matter,” Nana Akufo Addo argued.

“In any event, the professional advice that an Attorney-General (or any Minister of State for that matter) gives to the President of the Republic is privileged communication, not public information” Nana Akufo-Addo stated.

Secondly, he said that the Constitution of the Republic made it clear that the power to prosecute any criminal case had been given exclusively to the Attorney-General. 

“The President has nothing to do with it. As Attorney-General, I was not aware of President Kufuor ever calling for the docket of the case involving Mr Abodakpi or any other case for that matter,” he stated.

“Thirdly, criminal trials by the Attorney-General’s Department are usually conducted by the Director of Public Prosecutions or his or her subordinates. So, it is not at all strange for the Attorney-General not to be personally involved in proceedings of a criminal trial,” he further stated.

Additionally, Nana Akufo Addo stated that Mr Abodapki described his prosecution as “persecutorial,” creating the impression that the Kufuor government was “able to work out such that some people on the Bench can be on the beck and call” of the President. 

“Allegations of this nature are unfortunate because of their tendency to undermine the independence of the Judiciary,”  he stressed.