The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has defended the decision to drop criminal charges against former Finance Minister, Dr Kwabena Duffuor and seven others, saying it was in the best interest of the state.Dr Ayine said the move, known legally as a nolle prosequi, was necessary to help the state recover GH¢3.3 billion lost in the collapse of UniBank.Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency in Accra, Dr Ayine explained that the decision followed a proposal by the accused persons to settle the debt through a structured plan."While criminal cases are punitive, the real value to the state lies in recovering the money.
I took a pragmatic approach by engaging both the Receiver and the accused to resolve both the civil and criminal sides of the issue," he said.According to Dr Ayine, the accused offered to pay GH¢1.2 billion in full and final settlement.
This includes GH¢800 million through assets and another GH¢1.2 billion to be recovered from direct beneficiaries of the funds.So far, GH¢500 million has been recovered, and the rest is expected over the next 18 months.
Landed properties worth GH¢824 million have also been handed over, with the accused bearing responsibility for any shortfall if the assets do not yield their expected value.He added that the Bank of Ghana, the Ministry of Finance, and his office would oversee the recovery process, which would be reviewed every quarter.Dr Ayine noted that while the state would have preferred a criminal conviction to serve as a deterrent, there was no guarantee of success.
