Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, has dismissed claims that the government is applying the law selectively in illegal mining (galamsey) cases, stating that investigations into allegations against National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Organiser Joseph Yamin and Third National Vice Chairman Abanga Yakubu are still ongoing.
Speaking in response to concerns over the status of the investigations, Dr Srem-Sai said the cases involving the two NDC officials have not been concluded and should not be compared with other prosecutions.
“Investigations are still ongoing,” he said, adding that the pace of investigations varies depending on the complexity of each case.
According to him, suggestions that the investigations have taken too long are often based on unfair comparisons with other cases.
“If the suggestion is that the investigations are long overdue, that must be some comparison you are making. Because you would not say it is long overdue unless you are comparing with some other investigation,” he stated.
He explained that the absence of a trial or conviction does not imply preferential treatment, stressing that criminal investigations require time to gather sufficient evidence.
Dr Srem-Sai cited the case involving New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to illustrate the point.
According to him, investigations into Wontumi’s case began in 2021, while the trial only commenced on January 10, 2026, before eventually ending in a conviction by the High Court.
“Chairman Wontumi’s investigation started way back in 2021. We are in 2026. The trial itself started this year, January 10, when we called the first witness,” he said.
The Deputy Attorney-General maintained that the fact that some investigations are completed earlier than others does not amount to selective justice, urging the public to assess such matters based on facts rather than political narratives.
“Sometimes we know narratives are powerful, but all you need to do is to run the narrative against facts, and you will see that the narrative becomes empty,” he added.
His comments come after the Minority in Parliament and the New Patriotic Party accused the government of selective justice following Chairman Wontumi’s conviction, questioning why investigations into alleged galamsey links involving Joseph Yamin and Abanga Yakubu have yet to result in prosecutions.
However, Dr Srem-Sai insisted that prosecutorial decisions are guided by evidence and due process, not political affiliation.