The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has defended the government’s decision to discontinue the prosecution of Dr Kwabena Duffuor and seven others, saying more than GH¢800 million has already been recovered, with the remainder being pursued through a structured payment arrangement.

Addressing a press conference in Accra on Monday [July 28, 2025] Dr Ayine said the decision to enter into a settlement and withdraw the criminal case was based on what he described as “tactical and pragmatic considerations”, aimed at maximising asset recovery rather than dragging out a trial that had made little progress under the previous administration.

“The government has already recovered GH¢835 million in cash and assets. The remaining GH¢430 million is being pursued through a structured payment plan with clear timelines,” he said.

According to Dr Ayine, the criminal trial, which started in 2019, stalled for almost four years, giving the accused parties room to restructure or liquidate assets, making recovery even more difficult.

He added that the much-cited GH¢5.7 billion loss to the state was not entirely due to Dr Duffuor and his management team but included broader issues such as regulatory failures and liquidity problems before the 2018 banking sector clean-up.

Dr Ayine argued that continuing the prosecution would likely take another five to seven years, with no assurance of recovering the money or securing a conviction.

“Our primary aim is to safeguard the public purse. You can jail someone and still not recover a pesewa. We are interested in recovering as much as possible and that’s what this deal guarantees,” he said.

Under the agreement, Dr Duffuor and related parties are expected to pay the outstanding balance over a specified period. The payment plan, according to the Attorney-General, is backed by collateral and legally binding instruments.

He also disclosed that a much-anticipated high-profile prosecution, referred to as the “Rumble in the Jungle”, has been delayed following new disclosures from the Auditor-General. Although he did not name the individuals involved, Dr Ayine said the government is taking time to build a solid case.

He stated that all settlements undergo value-for-money scrutiny and are subject to cabinet review.

“This is not amnesty. This is accountability with results. Over 60 percent of what is owed has already been recovered that’s more than we got from years of court drama,” he said.

The Unibank case is part of a wider investigation into the collapse of nine local banks in 2018. The clean-up exercise is estimated to have cost the state over GH¢25 billion in bailouts and bond-related expenses.