Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has strongly defended the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO)’s imposition of high bail amounts in corruption cases involving former appointees of the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
Dr Ayine made the remarks in Parliament on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, while responding to an urgent question from Habib Iddrisu, MP for Tolon and First Deputy Minority Whip, who sought clarification on the rationale behind the steep bail terms and whether alternative arrangements could be explored.
Citing Article 14(4) of the 1992 Constitution, the Attorney General explained that law enforcement agencies have the discretion to grant bail unconditionally or on reasonable conditions that guarantee the suspect’s appearance in court.
“Bail depends on the crime and the gravity of the offence,” Dr Ayine told the House. “The sums involved in these investigations are very large. Setting unreasonably low bail could allow suspects to evade trial without sufficient compensation for the potential financial loss to the state.”
He emphasised that some of the cases under probe involve alleged losses amounting to hundreds of millions of cedis, making proportionate bail conditions necessary.
“There is nothing unjust or unfair with respect to what is happening,” he stressed, describing the scale of the alleged financial crimes as “unprecedented.”
Dr Ayine rejected claims that the high bail demands are politically motivated, maintaining that the measures are strictly tied to the severity and financial magnitude of each case.
The Attorney General’s defence comes amid growing public debate over recent high-profile arrests and bail conditions imposed by EOCO on several former government officials as part of the Mahama administration’s anti-corruption drive.