By Ashiadey Dotse
A legal practitioner and law lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Mr. Ishaq Ibrahim, has stated that Ghana’s weak crime detection systems make it nearly impossible to solve unresolved murder cases, such as that of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale.
Speaking on GTV’s Current Agenda show on Saturday, October 18, 2025, Mr. Ibrahim said that without modern forensic and investigative infrastructure, “the only thing that could help the police solve old murder cases would be a time machine.”
He explained that the recent court decision to discharge a suspect in the Ahmed Suale murder case should not be blamed solely on a lack of political will but also on poor evidence gathering and weak institutional systems.
“We often rush cases to court without strong evidence. In law, there are two tests, the evidential test and the public interest test, and both must be met before prosecution. Without credible evidence, you cannot secure a conviction,” he said.
Mr. Ibrahim stressed that the right to life is sacred and must be taken seriously, noting that attacks on journalists are not just crimes against individuals but assaults on the Constitution itself.
“When you attack a journalist, you attack the Constitution because they have a constitutional duty to inform the public. It is even more serious than an ordinary attack,” he emphasized.
He also lamented the lack of motivation and logistical support within the Ghana Police Service, which he said hampers their ability to effectively detect and resolve crimes.
“Look at when there was an attempt to bomb London, within 72 hours, the suspects were identified. Do we have such systems here? Maybe not. Unless we buy a time machine, it will be difficult to solve such cases,” he remarked.
Mr. Ibrahim concluded by urging the government and policymakers to invest in modern crime detection infrastructure and ensure that law enforcement officers are well-trained and motivated to uphold justice.
