Attorney-General Drops Charges Against Dr. Kwabena Duffuor and Seven Others in uniBank Collapse Case After Significant Fund Recovery
On July 22, 2025, the Attorney-General (AG) of Ghana, Dr. Dominic Ayine, filed a nolle prosequi, discontinuing the high-profile criminal case The Republic v. Kwabena Duffuor & 7 Others (CR/0248/2020), related to the collapse of uniBank.
Announced by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, the decision follows the recovery of over 60% of the alleged state losses, meeting a threshold set by the AG’s office in collaboration with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
The move, part of the 2018 financial sector clean-up, prioritizes recovering public funds over continued prosecution, with the AG stating that further legal action would not serve additional public interest.
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, uniBank’s founder, former Finance Minister (2009–2013), and former Bank of Ghana Governor (1997–2001), along with seven others, including his son Kwabena Duffuor II and former BoG Deputy Governor Johnson Asiama, faced charges since February 2020 for fraudulent breach of trust, money laundering, and related offenses. The Bank of Ghana declared uniBank insolvent in August 2018, citing GHS 5.3–5.7 billion in unauthorized loans and withdrawals by shareholders and related parties, with Duffuor allegedly receiving GHS 663.3 million unlawfully.
The nolle prosequi discharges the accused but is not an acquittal, leaving room for future prosecution if new evidence emerges. The AG’s office emphasized transparency and accountability, framing the decision as a pragmatic step to prioritize state resource recovery over prolonged litigation, though it clarified that the move does not imply an absence of wrongdoing. Posts on X reflect mixed sentiments, with some questioning the decision to drop charges after partial recovery, suggesting political undertones given Duffuor’s NDC affiliation.
