Dr. John Osae Kwapong, a Fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), has defended the Attorney General’s (AG) public engagement on corruption cases, emphasizing its importance in keeping citizens informed about the government’s efforts to tackle corruption.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, March 29, Dr. Kwapong explained that while due process remains crucial, public engagement plays a vital role in shaping public perceptions of the fight against corruption.
“The former President Akufo-Addo often said that until you are in trouble with the law, you never truly appreciate the importance of due process,” he noted. “That approach satisfies what I call the legal test, ensuring everything is done in a way that protects the rights of the accused.”
Dr. Kwapong further stressed that the fight against corruption requires passing an “appearance test” by keeping the public informed.
“This Attorney General, I believe, is trying to balance the legal side with the need to demonstrate to the public that efforts are being made. Citizens should be able to judge whether these efforts are in the right or wrong direction,” he said.
However, Dr. Kwapong warned that while public engagement is important, it should not result in suspects being unfairly judged in the court of public opinion. “You want to provide information in a way that does not declare suspects guilty before they have their day in court,” he cautioned.
He added that regular updates on corruption cases help the public reflect on the state of anti-corruption efforts and what more needs to be done. Public involvement is particularly important when cases involve staggering amounts of money.
“If you listen to the amounts involved in some of these alleged cases, it is quite baffling. Perhaps public engagement will push us to ask what more we can do beyond waiting for a regime to leave office before corruption cases are investigated,” Dr. Kwapong said.