Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayeni has strongly defended the legality of the search conducted at the residence of former Bank of Ghana (BoG) Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison, dismissing claims that the operation was unlawful.
Speaking to the media on Monday, March 24, Dr. Ayeni clarified that the search was carried out under a High Court-sanctioned warrant aimed at recovering items suspected to be linked to criminal activities.
He directly addressed Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who has been vocal in criticizing the government’s handling of the case. The AG cautioned the MP against spreading misinformation about the investigation and law enforcement agencies, warning that he is prepared to release an audio recording of Addison’s remarks regarding the operation if necessary.
Defending the legitimacy of the search, Dr. Ayeni questioned why some individuals believed they were beyond legal scrutiny.
“How does a lawful search based on credible intelligence suddenly become a ‘raid’? I personally sought the warrant, and the High Court approved it. Why is that now an issue? No one is above the law in this country,” he stated.
He further stressed that the operation was conducted within constitutional limits, citing Article 18 of the Constitution, which permits searches under due legal processes.
Dr. Ayeni also dismissed allegations that security officials stole GHS 10,000 during the search, describing such claims as an “insult” and cautioning against the misuse of parliamentary privileges to defame law enforcement officers.
“The constitutional immunity granted to MPs does not give them the right to malign officers conducting lawful investigations,” he said.
In a direct warning to Afenyo-Markin, Dr. Ayeni revealed that his office possesses an audio recording of Addison’s account of the search.
“We have a recording of Addison speaking about the search. If Afenyo-Markin wants to challenge me, I’ll make it public. He should stop tarnishing the reputation of law enforcement officers and myself,” he warned.
Dr. Ayeni reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the law and ethical standards while ensuring justice is served.
