The Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has emphasized the importance of dealing with corruption claims, particularly those involving public officials, objectively.
The minister’s admonishment comes in the aftermath of public condemnation of the Attorney General’s Office’s advice to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to end money laundering investigations into the former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah.
Speaking on behalf of the President at the 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa, Mr Dame emphasized the importance of transparency in the fight against corruption.
“The fight against corruption also requires honesty and integrity in the disclosure of results. There must be an avoidance of sensationalism by all parties involved; investigative bodies, civil society and the public. It augers well for the fight if the results of corruption allegations against public officers, particularly senior members of government which are refuted and unsubstantiated, are fully put out by investigative bodies.“Investigative bodies must be honest and bold enough to disclose to the public the full results of investigations into allegations of corruption against members of the government which turned out to be untrue.“This is one sure way to boost the confidence of the public in their government, reduce their suspicion, distrust, and cynicism with which the public views officeholders.”Mr. Dame also implied that the notion that every public officeholder is corrupt should be abandoned.“There is a truism that not every public officeholder is corrupt and investigative authorities must discard the view that the only way to stay relevant is by keeping the flame of allegation of corruption against public officeholders burning, even if same to journalists are unfounded and without basis.”
