Godfred Yeboah Dame in a handshake with the ICC Prosecutor during the courtesy call yesterday
The Attorney General (AG) and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, yesterday hosted the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Asad Ahmad Khan KC, with the latter telling the AG, “I think it will be childish not to applaud your leadership as Attorney General and Minister for Justice.”
The meeting formed part of Mr. Khan’s three-day working visit to Ghana at the invitation of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
Mr. Khan, who earlier met the Chief Justice, Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, will also deliver GIMPA Law School’s third eminent public lecture on International Criminal Justice under the theme, “Democracy, Elections and Impunity: International Criminal Justice as a Deterrent.”
Mr. Dame, in a short address, indicated that even though Ghana has not had any crime tried by the ICC, the nation’s contribution has been so immense, and that contribution is even greater in terms of the system of governance that the country runs.
This, he said, is because the aim of the ICC is to stamp out impunity to check excesses on the international front and ensure that crimes of aggression, war crimes, and genocide are tried within an international forum.
“So, for me, the strongest investment a nation can make even if it is a state party to the ICC is to have a system of governance that will curb abuse of power and impunity.
“All I can say is that when democracy reigns and is practiced in its purest form, it is actually the surest way of preventing any impunity and also contributing to the work of the International Criminal Court,” Mr. Dame said.
The Attorney General revealed that his Office has presented a bill to Parliament to fully incorporate the Rome Statute into the laws of Ghana to ensure that crimes such as genocide, war crimes, among others, become effectively part of the domestic laws of Ghana.
“Secondly, it is also to ensure that Ghana will be in a position to try offences recognised by the ICC domestically, and if it is not able to try it then the ICC of course can assume jurisdiction,” he said.
Mr. Dame also highlighted the importance of African countries fully incorporating the Rome Statute into their domestic laws, because it provides an opportunity for the crimes to be tried in their jurisdiction, as well as boosts the sovereignty of the countries.
“I consider it offensive to the sovereignty of a nation to have crimes of such nature tried outside the jurisdiction,” Mr. Dame added.
ICC Prosecutor
Mr. Khan, who was in agreement with Mr. Dame, praised government for ensuring a stable country driven by democracy, the rule of law, and the progress that Ghanaians want for their country.
He said justice is best served at home and only when a country is proven to be unwilling or unable to serve justice that another court should intervene.
“So, in so many areas we want to move forward with you and I think you have so much to be proud of quite frankly. I think the humility from Ghanaians, sometimes you take your achievements with such kindness that you don’t boast about them, but you have a lot to be proud of,” he said.
Mr. Khan, however, noted that complacency is the enemy for peace, and acknowledged why the peace and stability of the nation is not taken for granted.
By Gibril Abdul Razak