Calls for prosecution in ORAL report premature – Domelevo

Former Auditor-General and member of the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) team, Daniel Yao Domelevo, has called on Ghanaians to exercise patience regarding demands for immediate prosecutions following the submission of the ORAL report to the President.

Speaking on Channel One Newsroom, Domelevo clarified that the report’s primary objective was to gather information, emphasizing that due process must be followed before any legal action is initiated.

He stressed the need for a comprehensive legal and financial review before moving forward with prosecutions or arrests.

“I have had some engagement with the AG, and I think his line of thought is so much in sync with mine. He thinks that we may have to leverage more on the audit. So people are asking when are there going to be prosecutions or when are there going to be arrests.

“I think it is premature. People should understand that all we did was to gather information. We have not even heard from the other side.

“Ghanaians should be a little bit patient. This process cannot be rushed unduly, otherwise, we will falter when we get to court. They should give the AG and maybe the Auditor-General some breathing space so that these cases can be referred to the Auditor-General to conduct a value-for-money audit and also a compliance audit to see if they comply with the laws and regulations.

“If there were some losses, then the Auditor-General can activate his mandate to disallow and surcharge,” he stated.

Domelevo’s remarks highlight the importance of a meticulous approach to ensuring accountability and recovering misappropriated public funds without compromising legal procedures.