Dr. Justice Srem-Sai
The Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai has confirmed government’s approval of the raid on the homes of some key appointees of the erstwhile Nana Akufo-Addo administration.
According to him, the raids were sanctioned by the Attorney General and warrants were procured for the Rambo-styled raids.
So far, the homes of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and former Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Ernest Addison have been raided by heavily armed operatives of the National Security Secretariat.
The two raids were led by Richard Jakpa, the Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat.
A section of Ghanaians have raised concerns about the manner in which the raids were been carried out, particularly in the case of the raid on Dr. Addison’s home where the operatives destroyed his CCTV system before carrying out a search for a ‘vault’ which they could not find.
Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Srem-Sai, speaking on the sidelines of the launch of a programme in Accra yesterday, indicated that the Office of the Attorney General sanctioned the raids and that warrants were secured for them.
He said every search that is being carried out is part of government’s framework to fight corruption.
“So, if you look at how government works, we work with other institutions and people submit complaints, but every search that you see, is part of the government framework to fight the corruption, and we take responsibility for the search(es) that are happening,” Dr. Srem-Sai told reporters.
He added that “those searches and the mode in which they were done, were done in accordance with law. Warrants were procured and warrants were used to conduct those searches.”
His explanation however, raises more questions about the mode of the searches, particularly where CCTV systems were disabled in the home of Dr. Addison before the the search was conducted, raising concerns about whether the operatives had a different agenda.
Cash, Jewelry Loots
Meanwhile, Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has accused operatives of National Security of stealing personal effects, including money and jewelleries from the home of Dr. Addison during a raid on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
Reports said about 15 heavily armed soldiers, who arrived in three separate vehicles, were involved in the raid.
Upon arrival, the DAILY GUIDE gathered that the security operatives quickly disabled the CCTV system before demanding that Dr. Addison lead them to supposed ‘vaults’ in the house.
However, the former Governor denied having any such vaults in the house.
Jakpa allegedly called Dr. Addison personally around 4:30 p.m. following the operation, further raising questions about the legitimacy of the raid.
Addressing the press yesterday, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the heavily armed operatives who were led by Richard Jakpa, stole unspecified amount of money form Dr. Addison’s bedroom and also stole necklaces and earrings belonging to his wife.
No evidence of wrongdoing was found after the operatives searched the home. However, Dr. Addison later discovered that GH¢10,000, which had been placed on his bed, was missing, along with his wife’s earrings and necklaces.
According to the Minority Leader, in addition to the missing cash and valuables, three official vehicles belonging to Dr. Addison were taken by the operatives.
However, they were later abandoned, and Dr. Addison was instructed to send his drivers to retrieve them.
The Minority described the raid as unlawful and a blatant act of harassment against former appointees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Pattern of Intimidation
Mr. Afenyo-Markin accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of using security operatives to target political opponents in a bid to frustrate and intimidate them.
The Minority Caucus condemned the incident, warning that such actions undermine Ghana’s democratic principles and economic stability.
“These actions undermine democracy and are weighing down investor confidence,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin stated, warning that such acts could lead to capital flight and a loss of confidence in the financial sector.
“We call on the government to immediately halt these dastardly acts. Intimidation and terror have no place in our democracy. If these actions continue, it could lead to citizens taking self-protection measures,” he warned.
The Caucus reiterated that they are not opposed to legitimate investigations but insisted that they must be conducted within the bounds of the law and without human rights abuses.
Call on Mahama
Mr. Afenyo-Markin called on President John Dramani Mahama to ensure that his administration upholds the rule of law and does not resort to the use of state power for political persecution.
“Your Excellency, President Mahama, we know you as a respected moderate politician. Please leave a legacy of fairness and justice. Let it be said that when you had the opportunity, you changed things for the better,” he stated.
He further referenced the recent arrest of journalist, Okatakyie Afrifa, criticising the manner in which security operatives handled the situation.
“Although he was released, we strongly protest his arrest in that Rambo-style operation. Let’s enforce the laws with a human face,” he concluded.
The Minority Caucus vowed to continue holding the government accountable, and is calling for immediate investigations into the alleged misconduct by security operatives.
BY Ernest Kofi Adu & Gibril Abdul Razak