Attorney General Dominic Ayine has defended the imposition of substantial bail sums on some former government appointees currently standing trial, insisting that the conditions are lawful and proportionate to the gravity of the alleged offences under investigation.
Speaking to journalists ahead of the 2026 State of the Nation Address, Ayine addressed growing public debate over the bail terms granted to certain ex-officials, particularly in cases involving alleged financial impropriety and large-scale losses to the state.
His comments come amid criticism from the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), which argues that the government is imposing excessively high bail bonds as a tactic to keep its former appointees in custody.
Responding to the concerns, the Attorney General maintained that bail conditions are not arbitrary but are determined by established legal principles, including the nature of the alleged offence, the circumstances of the arrest, and the stage of investigations.
“Bail conditions are what they are. They are dependant on the circumstances of the arrest and the circumstances of the investigations, and the criminal conduct that is involved and so on and so when bail conditions are set, they are set to be commensurate with the level of the crime.
“So if you have situations where billions of Ghana Cedis have been allegedly stolen by former public officials, the bail conditions should be set in such a way that if they jump bail, there will be a basis for the law enforcement authority to fall on the bail sum involved.
Ayine’s remarks underscore the government’s position that the magnitude of alleged financial losses must be reflected in the bail terms, particularly in cases involving public funds.
