Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, has refuted claims that the government is applying the law selectively in its handling of illegal mining (galamsey) cases.
He also dismissed assertions that the state has refused to probe allegations against National Democratic Congress (NDC) officials, clarifying that investigations remain active and ongoing.
According to him, inquiries involving NDC National Organiser Joseph Yamin and Third National Vice Chairman Abanga Yakubu over their alleged ties to illegal mining have not been abandoned.
Addressing concerns over the pace of the probes, Dr Srem-Sai noted that thorough investigations naturally require time before reaching a conclusion.
“If the suggestion is that the investigations are long overdue, that must be some comparison you are making. Because you would not say it is long overdue unless you are comparing with some other investigation.
“And so what I’m saying is that if you think or if anyone suggests that the fact that those investigations have not yielded or resulted in a conviction or trial, then it means that we are being unfair; in other words, we are giving some preferential treatment, the point I’m trying to make is that investigations take time,” he said.
To illustrate his point, the Deputy Attorney-General referenced the timeline of the prosecution involving NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
He stressed that complex financial and environmental cases cannot be expected to yield immediate outcomes.
He highlighted that the investigation into Chairman Wontumi commenced in 2021, yet the trial only began in January 2026 before the High Court eventually secured a conviction.
“Chairman Wontumi’s investigation started way back in 2021. We are in 2026. The trial itself started this year, January 10, when we called the first witness,” he stated.
He urged the public to measure political claims against verifiable facts rather than political commentary.
“Sometimes we know narratives are powerful, but all you need to do is to run the narrative against facts, and you will see that the narrative becomes empty”.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana