This Saturday on Newsfile, host Samson Lardy Anyenini and his panelists will discuss the Attorney-General’s decision to drop all criminal charges against Dr. Kwabena Duffuor and seven others in the uniBank case, in exchange for a 60 per cent recovery of GH¢5.7 billion owed to the state.
On July 22, the Attorney-General entered a nolle prosequi in the high-profile case involving former Finance Minister and seven others, who were facing charges related to the collapse of uniBank.
The decision, announced by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, effectively discontinues the criminal proceedings against the accused, a move the AG’s office attributes to the significant recovery of state funds.
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, who founded uniBank and previously served as Finance Minister, was among those charged in February 2020 with various offenses, including theft and money laundering. Court documents at the time alleged that Duffuor received GHS 663.3 million (approximately $122 million at the time) “knowing it had been obtained by means of a criminal offense.”
The charges also implicated other individuals, including a former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Johnson Asiama, who faced accusations of facilitating financial impropriety.
According to the Deputy Attorney-General’s press release, the Office of the Attorney-General, in collaboration with other relevant State agencies such as the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), established a threshold of 60 per cent recovery of the alleged losses as a condition for reconsidering prosecution in specific cases.
Also this week, revelation from the 2024 Auditor General’s report on public boards and statutory institutions indicates that financial irregularities among these state institutions amounted to GH¢18.4 billion in 2024. This represents a jump from GH¢8.8 billion in 2023, reflecting a staggering 109.3 per cent increment in just a year.
These irregularities included overdue debts owed to the state, unpaid loans and advances, locked-up investments, and other forms of outstanding receivables, procurement violations, delayed contract payments, undocumented store items, and related lapses in financial governance.
The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) presented its 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review, outlining the government’s fiscal direction and economic outlook for the remainder of the year. Delivered by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson on July 24, the review highlighted improving macroeconomic indicators, including easing inflation, a stronger cedi, and a notable decline in public debt.
The minister also cited falling fuel prices and a reduction in transport fares, offering some relief to Ghanaians.
The show will explore the legal and ethical implications of the Attorney-General’s decision to discontinue the uniBank case, the state’s approach to asset recovery, the alarming rise in financial irregularities revealed in the 2024 Auditor-General’s report, and key highlights from the NDC government’s 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review.
Tune in to Newsfile this Saturday as the panel breaks down these critical national issues with insight and clarity.
Newsfile airs live on the JoyNews channel on digital satellite channels 421 on DSTV and 144 on GoTV, and streams on JoyNews’ Facebook or YouTube channels on Saturdays from 9 am to noon.
Viewers can also follow the discussion by tuning in to Joy 99.7 FM or Luv 99.5 FM on the radio or stream the discussion live on either Google or Apple Podcasts.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
