Bright Simons, Honorary Vice President of IMANI-Africa, has strongly criticized the Akufo-Addo administration’s prosecution of Dr Ato Forson, describing it as “the worst abuse of prosecutorial discretion in Ghana’s history.”
His comments follow the Attorney General’s recent decision to drop multiple high-profile cases involving officials and associates of the previous Mahama administration, including former NDC National Chairman Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, ex-COCOBOD CEO Dr. Stephen Opuni, and businessman Seidu Agongo.
Simons defended the Attorney General’s decision to discontinue Dr Forson’s case, stating that his independent analysis revealed serious flaws in the prosecution’s approach.
“I also agree with the discontinuation of the Ato Forson case because I personally investigated the matter as an independent analyst, and it is the worst abuse of prosecutorial discretion we have seen in this country,” he said in an interview with Joy FM.
He explained that the case was centred on a letter of credit, a financial instrument used to manage risk in transactions, arguing that its existence should not have been grounds for criminal charges.
Dr. Ato Forson, a former Deputy Finance Minister, had been on trial at the Accra High Court for allegedly causing a financial loss of €2 million in an ambulance procurement deal.
However, on July 30, 2024, the Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged him, ruling that there was no case against him.
Following the ruling, the Attorney General formally dropped any further proceedings at the Supreme Court in a notice filed on January 24, 2025.
