President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice is currently building 33 corruption-related cases against former government appointees, with some prosecutions already underway.
Speaking during a high-level meeting with the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, the President provided insight into the government’s intensified anti-corruption campaign.
“We set up the ORAL Committee, and they have identified 33 cases, which were handed over to the Attorney General,” Mahama revealed. “We have created special investigative teams to investigate each of them.”
According to the President, investigations have unearthed significant evidence, particularly regarding the unlawful acquisition of properties.
“Some of them have found a lot of evidence of the procurement of properties with illicit wealth. With many of them, they are just at the point of beginning prosecution. Some have also started the prosecution, and others are being lined up,” he added.
The Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) Team is a specialised anti-corruption task force launched shortly after President Mahama’s 2024 electoral victory.
The initiative was designed to probe alleged financial misdeeds under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration. ORAL’s mandate includes investigating embezzlement, misuse of public funds, and unexplained accumulation of wealth by public officials.
ORAL was structured to operate with autonomy, working closely with security agencies, the Office of the Special Prosecutor, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). Its findings are submitted to the Attorney-General for prosecution.
The formation of the ORAL Team drew sharp criticism from the opposition NPP, which accused the Mahama-led government of engaging in a politically motivated witch-hunt.
Senior NPP members argued that the initiative lacked transparency and was designed to silence critics and tarnish the reputation of the previous administration.
Some NPP-aligned commentators described ORAL as “a tool for political retribution rather than justice,” warning that it could deepen divisions and fuel instability if not managed with fairness and adherence to due process.
Despite the backlash, President Mahama has defended ORAL as a necessary instrument in restoring accountability and public trust in governance. His administration has consistently maintained that the investigations are evidence-based and not politically targeted.
