The Second Deputy Minority Whip, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has criticised the Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, for using the media to address legal matters instead of following the proper judicial process.
His remarks followed a media briefing by Dr. Ayine regarding the ongoing investigations into the government’s anti-corruption drive and the “Operation Recover All Loot” initiative, which took place yesterday.
During the briefing, Dr. Ayine discussed various corruption cases under investigation. However, Mr. Shaib expressed concerns about how these cases were being handled in the public domain, rather than through formal legal channels.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse Show, Mr. Shaib questioned why the Attorney General would resort to the media instead of pursuing the cases in court.
“If the Attorney General has every reason to prosecute someone, why come to the media?” Mr. Shaib asked. “The media is not giving the alleged person the opportunity to respond. Does that make sense?”
Mr. Shaib further stressed that accusations of criminal behaviour should be addressed through the legal system, where individuals can defend themselves before a judge.
“If you have evidence that someone is involved in a criminal enterprise, the right thing to do is go to court,” he explained. “When you go to court, you present your evidence, and the judges will have their say. They will determine whether the person has, in fact, committed the offence.”
The MP expressed disappointment with what he saw as the Attorney General’s approach, labelling it as “political crucifixion” rather than the pursuit of justice.
“What you have done is not justice; it’s political crucifixion,” Mr. Shaib remarked. “You are using the media for this, not the courts. This is not the proper way to handle legal matters.”
He also raised concerns about the political motivations behind the Attorney General’s actions, suggesting that they might resemble tactics sometimes employed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
“If the OSP sometimes engages in this, is the Attorney General now following suit? Are we now engaging in press crucifixion? Is that what we want to do?” he asked.
Mr. Shaib concluded by emphasising that legal matters should be handled in the proper judicial framework, ensuring a fair trial and the presumption of innocence.
He expressed concern that public media trials could unfairly damage reputations without due process.
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