Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine has cautioned Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin against misrepresenting facts regarding a recent security operation at the residence of former Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr Ernest Addison.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, March 24, 2025, Dr Ayine warned that parliamentary immunity should not be used as a cover for defamation. He suggested that a recorded conversation could be made public to challenge the opposition’s claims.
“If the Minority Leader continues to misrepresent what happened, we will release the recording. The law must be upheld, and parliamentary privileges should not be exploited to defame public officials,” he stated.
His remarks come in response to allegations that the government orchestrated an unconstitutional raid on Dr Addison’s residence. The operation, conducted on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, was reportedly carried out by armed National Security operatives, some of whom were masked.
At a press conference on March 20, Mr Afenyo-Markin condemned the search, calling it an act of intimidation against former appointees of the Akufo-Addo administration. He described the operation as “lawless” and politically motivated. Dr Ayine, however, dismissed these assertions, maintaining that the search was legally sanctioned and based on credible intelligence.
Citing a similar experience in 2017 when security personnel searched his own residence, Dr Ayine argued that such operations were standard law enforcement procedures.
“Policemen came to my house with guns in July 2017. I didn’t hold a press conference to claim my house was raided. They showed me a warrant. So why is it now being portrayed as a raid when it followed the same legal process?” he questioned.
He also rejected claims that security operatives stole GHS 10,000 during the search, describing the allegation as an insult to National Security officers.
“There was nothing illegal or unconstitutional about this operation, yet they are choosing to undermine me and National Security operatives. These accusations are simply unfounded,” he stated.
Addressing reports that security personnel confiscated CCTV cameras, Dr Ayine clarified that only the hard drive containing recorded footage was taken for investigative purposes.
“The hard drive stores the recorded footage, which is critical for investigations. We did not remove cameras; we only retrieved the memory device, which is standard practice,” he explained.
Dr Ayine reiterated that parliamentary immunity did not grant MPs the right to make defamatory statements for political advantage.
“The constitutional immunity granted to MPs does not give them the right to defame public officials conducting lawful duties,” he added.
