Former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has criticised what he says is the growing belief that Ghana’s justice system applies “two sets of laws for two sets of people” after the Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged former MASLOC Chief Executive, Sedina Tamakloe Attionu.
In a press statement released on Friday, July 31, 2026, Dame said the Court of Appeal’s decision has increased public concerns that political affiliation may now influence how justice is served in Ghana.
He said the issue goes beyond Sedina Attionu’s acquittal and reflects what he believes is a wider pattern in the way criminal cases are being handled.
According to Dame, the current Attorney-General has repeatedly withdrawn cases involving senior members and supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), while opposition politicians continue to face prosecution over corruption-related allegations.
Speaking about the public reaction to the Court of Appeal’s decision, Dame said the criticism of Sedina Attionu’s acquittal was understandable.
He explained that the prosecution presented what he described as strong evidence during the trial. He added that the evidence had been widely reported by the media and was already known to the public.
The former Attorney-General said the Sedina case has strengthened the public perception that the law is no longer applied equally to everyone.
In his view, the principle now exists “only in theory”, adding that people lose confidence in the justice system when they believe political affiliation affects how justice is delivered.
Dame also criticised what he described as the government’s approach to criminal prosecutions. He said Ghanaians should expect better from an administration that, according to him, dropped criminal cases involving some of its top members after taking office, while later prosecuting leading opposition figures under what he described as difficult trial conditions.
He also rejected claims by NDC communicators that the previous Akufo-Addo administration was responsible for Sedina Attionu’s acquittal.
Dame said neither he nor the Office of the Attorney-General received any notice of appeal while he was in office. He insisted that the appeal only became active after the change of government.
He explained that, during his time as Attorney-General, his main focus was not an appeal but enforcing the High Court’s judgment.
Dame also revealed that his office successfully secured Attionu’s extradition from the United States. He said a United States District Court approved Ghana’s extradition request in April 2026.
Ending his statement, Dame warned that public trust in the justice system will continue to decline if people believe political allies are protected while political opponents are treated differently.
He stressed that confidence in the justice system can only be maintained if the law is applied fairly, consistently, and without regard to political affiliation.
