The South Dayi Member of Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has said those criticising the legality of the Operation Recover All Loot have “fallen into an error of legal reasoning”
He says those bastardising the government for constituting the ORAL team are not doing so in tandem with the law, considering the tangent of the defence they are putting up for their criticisms.
According to him, “when you fall into an error of law, you have the law, you have the facts, but you must have misapplied it. That’s different. But this one, you are simply not reasoning within the terms of the law, otherwise, they would ab initio wouldn’t have made this point.”
The private legal practitioner, speaking on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, January 18, 2025, indicated that those claiming the constitution of the ORAL committee is illegal are suggesting the government in place itself is not legitimate.
According to him, a legitimate government instituting a body within the remit of the law to work on its behalf does not make that body illegal.
“Then you’re saying that the government in place is illegal,” he noted, explaining that due process is not defined by what the NPP says.
“Due process is not what NPP says it is. The definition of due process does not lie in the mouth of an NPP apparatchik or foot soldier. Due process is a process that is recognised in law in remedying a situation,” he stated.
The legislator further asked those questioning the legality of the initiative to desist from it if they don’t have any constructive criticism to offer.
He disclosed that some of the criticisms have become a public disgrace to those making it, looking at the kind of argument they are making for it.
“If you cannot suggest constructively, don’t question its legality because it is neither here nor there. In fact some of the criticisms is becoming ignominious,” he stated, adding that “this coup regime rhetoric, I’m sure they are on a platform and they say ‘just go and talk about coup’.”
The ORAL, a promise made by President Mahama during his campaign for the 2024 elections, is an initiative to retrieve all assets attained illegally by some entities.
He set up a five-member committee to receive on his behalf, reports of alleged state looting for subsequent investigations by appropriate state agencies. But many have questioned the legality of the committee saying they have no legal backing to carry such a mandate.
Go to court if you think we are unlawful’ – Domelevo on critics of ORAL
