Minority raises red flag over rising incidents of “unlawful raids on political opponents”

The Minority in Parliament has raised issues over what they referred to as “rising incidents of unlawful raids on political opponents”, as they maintained that, state power must be exercised in good faith, not wielded as a weapon of political intimidation.

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According to them, the recent raids on the residences of the immediate past Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison, and several other former government appointees by National Security operatives raise serious questions about the conduct of state institutions and the principles of justice and accountability in the Country. .

At a news conference addressed by Jerry Ahmed Shaib, Second Deputy Minority Whip, the Minority said, the Attorney General is abusing his office in ordering raids and conducting investigations.

…… “the attorney general is firstly a legal advisor to government and an officer of the court. There is a reason for which the attorney general is to remain at arm’s length from investigations. This distance allows for an impartial assessment of whether a prima facie case exists after investigative agencies have completed their work. Only then should the Attorney General offer legal guidance or make prosecutorial decisions, not before”..

Below is the full statement as read:

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PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE MINORITY ON THE RISING INCIDENTS OF UNLAWFUL RAIDS ON POLITICAL OPPONENTS.

ADDRESSED BY HON. JERRY AHMED SHAIB, SECOND DEPUTY MINORITY WHIP OF THE NINTH PARLIAMENT.

24TH MARCH 2025

1.    Ladies and gentlemen of the press, good morning.
2.    We have invited you today to address a matter of critical national importance, one that strikes at the very heart of our democracy, the rule of law, and the sanctity of individual rights. The recent raids on the residences of the immediate past Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison and several other former government appointees by National Security operatives raises serious questions about the conduct of state institutions and the principles of justice and accountability in our
country.
3.    State power must be exercised in good faith, not wielded as a weapon of political intimidation. The mandate given to law enforcement and security agencies is to serve the public interest, not to act on behalf of political actors seeking retribution or to suppress dissenting voices. This power does not give permission for illegal raids, power abuse, or intentional harassment of political opponents. However, we see a blatant abuse of power by the security services (especially the NIB and National Security), a breach of fundamental rights, and a decline in public confidence in our law enforcement organizations.
4.    The Attorney General is abusing his office in ordering raids and conducting investigations. The attorney general is firstly a legal advisor to government and an officer of the court. There is a reason for which the attorney general is to remain at arm’s length from investigations. This distance allows for an impartial assessment of whether a prima facie case exists after investigative agencies have completed their work. Only then should the Attorney General offer legal guidance or make prosecutorial decisions, not before. Or in the alternative give advice to the investigative agencies to what else to consider in the investigation so as not to do an unbiased investigation.
5. Secondly the Attorney General is an officer of the court. His interest is to assist the court in dispensing justice when investigators bring their case and evidence. The posture of the new AG undermines this role. He is no longer acting as an officer of the court but is instead acting as someone who has conducted his own inquisition, determined guilt of a suspect and is seeking to force his view on the courts. This practice undermines the role of the AG and undermines the administration of justice. All well meaning voices that respect the operation of the rule of law should call on it to end immediately.
6. The Attorney General is not expected to start off by prejudicing an investigation and in his mind conducting an inquisition at suspects. Since when did we have an attorney general who himself orders arrest, conducts investigations and examines his own evidence to determine if a prima facea case is been docketed against a suspect. This is highly improper and leads to bias right from the investigation process.

7. Let the courts decide the guilt or innocence of suspects – The new approach where the Attorney General seeks to convict political opponents in the court of public opinion before going to the court of competent jurisdiction is an abomination that should not be countenanced. The courts of Ghana are the only ones that should be allowed to convict or acquit.

How can you suspect a person who is innocent until proven guilty by a court, not take him to court but proceed to conduct a public show,of your suspicions seeking to prejudice the public mind against him. This terrible and a backward step in the growth of our democracy. Charges against a person should be laid in court for thy person to enter a plea and advance a defence so that the courts can decide. This new modus operandi of the AG is totally totally against the principles of natural justice and should be stopped.

If you have evidence against someone, go to court. If you don’t have evidence don’t malign people through press conferences.

8. Stop the political intimidation – We are clear in our minds that the new government, seeking to shift attention from the initial challenges they are having with their budget, the fight against galamsey and the Dumsor situation which is leading to the burning of markets has adopted this tactic

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to intimidate political opponents and our allies and in the process s change the public discourse. Ghanaians should not fall for this but should instead call the administration for these underhand tactics. For example in the case of the former security Capo who headed the signals Bureau, this administration under the instructions of the AG arrested him, paraded him in handcuffs through the arrival hall of the airport and has kept him, his

wife and pastor in custody for over 48hours without charge or trail. How do you treat top security actors this way in a country governed by the rule of law? These attests, detentions, midnight home raids and threats are relics of the coup era and have no place in a functioning democracy. In a democracy the administration has to focus on fulfilling its promises to improve the economic conditions of citizens and not resort to these antics.

We urge the administration to let the rule of law prevail and stop these underhand tactics.

9. We have also taken note of the statement by the Deputy Attorney General, Justice Srem Sai, suggesting that Members of Parliament enjoy constitutional protection against defamation suits solely to engage in

“good faith” parliamentary debate. While we respect the learned Deputy Attorney General’s interpretation, we must also assert that parliamentary privilege exists to protect truthful and legitimate discourse in the interest of the public. It is not MPs who have abused this protection in this matter, rather, it is the state security apparatus that has been weaponised for a political purpose.

Despite claims to the contrary, the search conducted at Dr. Addison’s residence was anything but cordial. Photographs circulating on social media clearly shows signs of destruction and ransacking, hardly the marks of a lawful and respectful operation. If indeed a court-issued warrant truly existed, why was it not presented to Dr. Addison before or during the raid?

Why was brute force used to overpower his private security? Why was the CCTV camera dismantled and taken away? Transparency is a hallmark of lawful enforcement. The failure to follow basic legal procedures casts doubt on the legality and intent of the operation

No amount of legal contortion or public relations spin can undo the facts: Dr. Addison’s home was raided under highly questionable circumstances. If the actions were truly lawful and above board, why did the National Security Coordinator find it necessary to call and apologise to Dr. Addison via the phone of Mr. Richard Jakpa? If there was no wrongdoing, with the conduct of the security officers, what exactly was that apology for? And perhaps more importantly, if that apology was authorised, is Mr. Jakpa being entirely honest about what transpired?

1. Attempts to sanitize this action by claiming he had access to legal counsel do not address the fundamental question: Was the raid a necessary and lawful exercise, or was it an abuse of power designed to intimidate and humiliate? The Minority in Parliament firmly believes it was the latter, and we will not remain silent while state institutions are used in this manner.
2. What is even more concerning is that this appears to be part of a broader pattern of politically motivated actions by the security agencies. In recent times, several former Government officials have been targeted in a manner that suggests a deliberate attempt to harass and intimidate rather than pursue legitimate legal processes. Among those affected are the following; i.
3. ii.
4. Former Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta whose private residence was raided on February 10, 2025 by National Security operatives led by Richard Jakpa. These operatives, some armed and in balaclavas, conducted an extensive search without presenting a warrant. Mr. Ofori-Atta was reportedly out of the country during the incident.
5. Again, on March 5, 2025, armed individuals identifying themselves as National Security operatives reportedly invaded the residence of former Energy Minister and Member of Parliament for Hohoe, John Peter Amewu, in Hohoe, Volta Region.
6. iii. The former Director of Operations at the Jubilee House, Mr. Lord Oblitey Commey also had his home raided on January 31, 2025, by National Security operatives seizing six of his vehicles.
7. iv. The former Public Procurement Authority Chairman, Prof.
8. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi was not left out when National Intelligence Bureau Officials visited and arrested him at his private residence on the 23rd of February, 2025.
9. V.
10. The former Director of the National Signals Bureau Mr. Kwabena Adu Boahene on Thursday, March 21, 2025, was also arrested upon his arrival at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) from London.
11.  
12. How these individuals were subjected to scrutiny raises legitimate concerns about whether due process is being followed or if these actions are part of a larger fishing expedition by the security agencies. These actions, often led by Richard Jakpa and officials from the National Intelligence Bureau and National Security, are a clear violation to Article 18 of the Constitution of Ghana, which protects the fundamental human rights of these individuals, particularly their right to personal liberty, privacy, and protection from arbitrary searches and seizures.
13. Article 18(1) protects individuals from being detained without lawful justification. It requires that any person arrested must be informed of the reasons for their arrest. Article 18(2) also prohibits the use of excessive or forceful means that could infringe on an individual’s liberty. It is unequivocally clear that these actions, thus, raid on homes without warrant, invasion of privacy, arbitrary detention and seizure of properties, unlawful use of force in raids, and without due process are a clear violation of the laws enshrined in the constitution of the Republic
of Ghana.
14. 14. Accountability, not the capricious use of state power to settle political scores, is what makes our democracy thrive. When security forces terrorise law-abiding persons at the whim of invisible forces, we cannot create a just society. Today, it is Dr Addison; tomorrow it might be anyone who dares to think for themselves or to disagree with the status quo.
15.  
16. We stand resolute in our defense of democracy and the rule of law. If our institutions are to command public confidence, they must act with integrity, fairness, and respect for individual rights.
17. We urge the media, civil society, and all well-meaning Ghanaians to stand against the growing trend of intimidation through state institutions.
We will continue to demand justice, transparency, and adherence to the principles of constitutional democracy.
18. Ghana’s democracy cannot thrive under a climate of fear and selective justice. The weaponization of state institutions for political ends is not only dangerous, it is unconstitutional. This incident speaks to a troubling trend of power being abused without accountability, and institutions being manipulated to protect those in power rather than serve the people.
19. Let us be clear – the health of our democracy depends on our collective ability to call out abuse when we see it and to demand better. Ghana deserves better. The people of Ghana deserve better.

Thank you

By Edzorna Francis Mensah