NDC government abusing criminal justice system, says Godfred Dame
Former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Dame, has accused the current NDC administration of manipulating the criminal justice system to target political opponents, describing such actions as “unprecedented and deplorable.”
Speaking to the media after visiting NPP Bono Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe Abronye at the CID Headquarters on Thursday, September 11, 2025, Mr Dame expressed deep concern over alleged abuses of due process.
“I very much deplored the manner in which the whole criminal system has been manipulated to attack political opponents, opponents of this administration. That is what, for me, is very reprehensible,” he said.
Unhealthy restrictions
He disclosed that Abronye’s lawyers were denied access following court proceedings. “Since Tuesday, his lawyers had not been able to have access to him. Yesterday, I requested to meet him, and graciously, the police CID brought him here today to meet me. I must express gratitude to the police authorities for doing that,” Mr Dame added.
Clarifying his role during the visit, he stressed: “I’m here not, of course, as a lawyer. I came to show solidarity with him and to ensure that all processes are going smoothly.
“But I must once again express the strongest reservations about the manner in which this administration is manipulating and utilizing the criminal justice system to intimidate and harass political opponents.”
Mr Dame criticised what he described as the discriminatory application of the law. He emphasised the contrast with previous administrations.
“We have seen quite a lot of grave abuses of human rights, pre-trial processes which are abused, and unlawful arrests. Whenever they think you are saying something that they consider offensive, they quickly arrest you.
“After the arrest, they band you before a court on some farmed-up charge,” he said. He deemed the practice “inconsistent with the democratic tenets of the nation.”
Uneven treatment
He highlighted the uneven treatment of citizens based on political affiliation: “Once they attack political opponents by using the criminal processes… members of the administration attack and abuse NPP people and other persons that they perceive to be opposition. You did not see any violation of the criminal laws against them. Clearly, this amounts to a deliberate discriminatory application of the law.”
Regarding Abronye’s condition, Mr Dame reported that he was in high spirits and looking forward to his court proceedings tomorrow, September 12, 2025.
“Even though I advised him to try and eat some food, he’s still in an excellent state and confident that bail should be granted. In a matter like this, clearly a misdemeanor under sections 207 and 208 of Act 29, there is little justification for denying bail,” he said.
He further called for fairness in the application of justice, saying, “We cannot leave the country where some citizens are treated worse than others. All citizens deserve equal treatment under the law.”
