Legal practitioner Lawyer Kwame Adofo has defended Ghana’s plea bargaining system and justified requests for adjournments in court proceedings, insisting that justice and proper legal representation must take precedence over public pressure and emotions in high-profile cases.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Adekyee Mu Nsem programme with Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra, on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, on developments surrounding the Chairman Wontumi case and the recent change of legal counsel, Lawyer Kwame Adofo explained that plea bargaining is a lawful process recognized under Ghana’s legal framework and should not be misconstrued as a means for accused persons to evade justice.
According to him, when an accused person enters into a plea agreement with the State, the individual admits guilt and may negotiate to plead to a lesser offence while agreeing to compensate the State or refund monies involved in the matter. He stressed that such arrangements are supervised by the courts and must be conducted within the confines of the law.
“Instead of going to prison, there are options for the person to repay the money or compensate the State. But once you plead guilty, you are convicted under the law,” he explained.
He further noted that plea bargaining does not absolve an accused person of criminal responsibility, as the individual still accepts wrongdoing before the court.
Lawyer Kwame Adofo added that where a court approves compensation or repayment terms and the accused person fails to comply, the court has the authority to impose a custodial sentence.
“If you default in paying the money as agreed, the court can jail you,” he stated.
Touching on the issue of changing lawyers and requests for adjournments, Lawyer Kwame Adofo dismissed suggestions that such actions are necessarily attempts to frustrate or delay justice. He argued that lawyers have professional and ethical obligations to adequately prepare before representing clients in serious criminal matters.
According to him, if a lawyer believes he or she is not in the best position to continue with a case or requires additional time to study documents and evidence, it is important for the court to allow sufficient preparation in the interest of fairness. He stressed that the constitutional rights of an accused person must be protected regardless of public opinion.
“The assumption in our law is that it is better to free a hundred guilty people than to put one innocent person in prison,” he said.
He explained that the justice system is intentionally designed to prevent wrongful convictions, even if the process sometimes takes longer than expected.
Lawyer Kwame Adofo further argued that justice should never be sacrificed for speed, emphasizing that the primary objective of the courts is to ensure that innocent persons are protected while guilty persons are convicted through due legal process.
“It is not about time; it is about justice,” he stressed.
He also noted that every accused person—whether rich or poor, politically exposed or an ordinary citizen—is entitled to competent legal representation and adequate time for counsel to prepare a defence. According to him, granting lawyers time to prepare should not automatically be interpreted as favoritism or an attempt to manipulate the judicial process.
Lawyer Kwame Adofo maintained that the credibility of Ghana’s justice system depends on fairness, due process, and respect for constitutional rights. He added that public confidence in the courts can only be sustained when justice is administered lawfully, fairly, and transparently.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah
