Host of Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom-Otchere, has argued that the assertion that “the law is the law” cannot, on its own, resolve politically sensitive cases, insisting that public perception also plays a critical role in sustaining democracy.
Mr Adom-Otchere said while legal processes must be respected, politically charged cases often generate wider public interpretations that go beyond the courtroom.
His comments followed discussions on the case involving former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer, Sedina Tamakloe, and concerns raised about the politicisation of corruption-related prosecutions.
Responding to arguments that such matters should be left entirely to the courts, Mr Adom-Otchere said history shows that individuals labelled as political prisoners are often judged by public perception, even when their convictions are based on existing laws.
“We should rather be guided by what will help us sustain democracy rather than insist to people that law is law because that argument has never won from time immemorial.”
He cited examples including former South African President Nelson Mandela and Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, to argue that legal explanations alone do not always determine how society interprets politically significant cases.
According to him, Mandela was convicted under South African laws, but over time became recognised globally as a political prisoner because of the circumstances surrounding his prosecution.
“It’s okay for us to find the law, and we can always find the law. That’s easy. But once it arises out of the social contract, you are dead in politics and perception is going to reign superior to whatever you’re talking about,” he said.
Mr Adom-Otchere stressed that the focus should be on protecting confidence in democratic institutions by ensuring that citizens do not develop the perception that there are different standards of justice for different people. He argued that the debate surrounding the Sedina Tamakloe case goes beyond the legal outcome because it touches on broader concerns about accountability and fairness in the management of public resources.
“The Sedina Tamaklo ruling of the Court of Appeal has deepened what was already there… this has really brought it back to the centre of the table where we all have to be worried,” he stated.
He added that both government and opposition parties have a responsibility to protect democratic institutions, warning that declining public trust in those institutions can threaten democratic stability.
The Court of Appeal recently acquitted and discharged Sedina Tamakloe after overturning her conviction by the High Court on charges including stealing and causing financial loss to the state in relation to her tenure as MASLOC CEO.
Story By: Juliana Odame Asare
