The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Designate, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has categorically stated that he is no longer the lawyer for Cassius Mining Limited, an Australian gold mining company. Dr. Ayine, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Bolgatanga East constituency, announced this during his vetting by the Parliamentary Appointments Committee.
Dr. Ayine previously represented Cassius Mining Limited, which secured a two-year prospecting license in 2016 to explore gold in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region. However, the license became a subject of contention in 2019 when the government of Ghana declared it invalid, citing its lack of constitutional ratification.
The government’s decision not to renew the company’s license followed the criminal convictions of two directors of Cassius Mining Limited, Anthony Upul Samantha and Radwin Elhassan, in Austria for offenses including possession of drugs.
The Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) had earlier petitioned the government through the Minerals Commission and other relevant bodies to investigate the company and its operations. Legal disputes between Cassius Mining Limited and the government ensued, with the Ghanaian High Court barring the company from seeking international arbitration.
Recently, however, Cassius Mining Limited filed a $440 million claim against Ghana at the London Court of International Arbitration. As Cassius Mining Limited’s lawyer, Dr. Ayine wrote a letter dated 21st February 2020, attention to the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, criticized the Minerals Commission’s decision to invalidate the company’s license, arguing that it was disingenuous to revoke the license based solely on the convictions of its directors.
Despite his prior involvement with Cassius Mining Limited, when approved, Dr. Ayine is supposed to defend the Republic of Ghana against all cases including that of Cassius Mining Limited, a company he ever represented.
When questioned about his past ties with the mining firm and a possible conflict of interest when his nomination is approved, Dr. Ayine said he is no longer the company’s lawyer. He assured the Appointments Committee of his full commitment to defending Ghana’s interests in the ongoing dispute if approved as Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.
“I have been instructed previously by Cassius Mining. I filed pleadings in the High Court in Bolgatanga together with my junior partner, Mr. Gordon Tamakloe. We litigated various applications before the court. I want to put it on record that I’m no longer Cassius Mining’s lawyer. However, I am keenly aware of the fact that the Constitution prohibits a situation where a public officer puts himself in a position where his private interest conflicts with the performance of his public duties. As Attorney-General of the Republic, I will be the Republic’s lawyer. As the Republic’s lawyer, I am supposed to act in the best interest of the Republic, in accordance with the best traditions and ethics of the legal profession. I will not, in any manner whatsoever, compromise the interests of the Republic of Ghana,” he stated
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Ghana
