Private legal practitioner Kwame Adofo has strongly criticized the Attorney-General’s decision to hold a press conference about a suspect who has not yet been charged, warning that such public declarations could jeopardize the integrity of legal proceedings.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show, Adofo argued that prejudicing cases in the media poses a significant risk to judicial fairness, particularly in jury trials.
“If you prejudice the case in the media, the risk is very high. The people you are going to select as jurors have already heard the case and drawn their own conclusions—that this guy must be guilty. Otherwise, the Attorney-General wouldn’t have come out to say that he’s guilty,” he stated.
He explained that when the public is led to believe in a suspect’s guilt before a trial begins, it creates a dangerous situation where court rulings that do not align with public sentiment could be seen as unjust.
“If we all form the view that this man is guilty before the court determines the case and the court then says he’s not guilty, people will say, ‘Oh, the court is not even working for us.’ You understand the risk?” he questioned.
Adofo further emphasized that the Attorney-General’s remarks could unfairly shape public opinion and impact other legal cases.
“Look, they are entitled to complain. I would have complained if my client had been described in a certain way by the Attorney-General. And I think it’s not proper that he did what he did. He should stop, because the risk of affecting other cases is far more serious,” he remarked.
