Lawyers in Search of Democracy (LINSOD) have called for the immediate resignation of Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Hon. Godfred Yeboah Dame. The demand follows shocking revelations in the trial of Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
On May 23, 2024, Mr. Richard Jakpa, the third defendant in the case, testified that the Attorney General persistently coerced him to provide false evidence against Dr. Forson.
“Like many Ghanaian academics, jurists, and members of the general public, we Lawyers in Search of Democracy (LINSOD) feel extremely scandalized by the unprecedented revelations made by the 3rd Defendant in court on Thursday, May 23rd, 2024, while he was being prosecuted by the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Honourable Godfred Yeboah Dame in the famous “Ato Forson” case to the effect that he was persistently coerced personally by the Attorney General of the Republic to dishonestly give evidence in the case to incriminate his co-Defendant the Honourable Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.”
These allegations were supported by an audio recording released by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on May 28, 2024. The recording captures a conversation in which the Attorney General allegedly advises Mr. Jakpa to fabricate a medical report to delay court proceedings.
“This was the testimony of the 3rd Defendant, Mr. Richard Jakpa in the “Ato Forson” case of which the Leader of the Minority in Parliament, Honourable Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson is the 1st Defendant, and whom the Attorney General had tried earnestly to coerce Mr. Jakpa to testify against in order to get him imprisoned. Mr. Dzakpa’s testimony was later substantiated at a press conference on Tuesday, May 28th, 2024, addressed by the Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah which revealed an audio recording of a conversation between the Attorney General and the 3rd Defendant, Mr. Richard Dzakpa.”
Prominent figures, including Mr. Kwaku Ansah Asare and Professor Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, along with various academics, lawyers, and civil society members, have joined the call for Hon. Godfred Dame’s resignation. LINSOD insists that the Attorney General’s actions have compromised the integrity of his office and the legal profession in Ghana.
LINSOD further cited multiple breaches of professional misconduct by Dame, including improper communication with a represented person, advising a witness to give false evidence, and fabricating evidence.
“For the same reasons why the aforementioned and many other well meaning Ghanaians are increasingly calling on Attorney General, Hon. Godfred Dame to resign, and which we provide below, we of LINSOD also join the multitude to call on the Attorney General, Hon to immediately resign, and allow a new Attorney General to be appointed to restore dignity and honour to the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic of Ghana. Contravention of Rule 13 (1) of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 2020 (L.I. 2423) (Communication with Represented Person)”.
LINSOD continued by criticizing the Attorney General’s rejection of a proposal from Big Sea Trading Limited to refund money to the government in exchange for stopping the prosecution. They argue that this decision reflects a political vendetta rather than a pursuit of justice.
“When the proposal was made to the Attorney General about the refund of the two Million Euro, which was paid for the ambulances in return for the ambulances, which the government does not want anymore, the Attorney General should have thought about what would be in the best interest of Ghanaians between accepting the refund by Big Sea or rejecting the refund and rather find a way to imprison the Minority Leader. The Attorney General has clearly exercised his discretion arbitrarily and unreasonably in this instance, and has betrayed the trust and confidence of the people of Ghana.”
“By rejecting an offer which Ghanaians would have overwhelmingly accepted over the mere imprisonment of a top public official in Parliament, and by consciously plotting to imprison the Minority Leader, and in the process coaxing, and urging the 3rd accused person to lie to doctors for the sole purpose of fraudulently obtaining a medical report, which the 3rd accused person must present in court to deceive the, and lie to the court that he is sick and cannot attend proceedings, Honourable Godfred Dame was involved in criminality.”
LINSOD added that, the Attorney General’s conduct has disgraced his office, and he must resign to restore the office’s dignity and uphold the rule of law in Ghana.
“All the above, in addition to his other efforts to convince the accused person to fabricate or twist his testimony to aid him in securing conviction for the Minority Leader, the Attorney General, Honourable Godfred Yeboah Dame has grossly misconducted himself, and has brought disgrace to himself and the high Office of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice of Ghana. He has no better option than to resign forthwith and save the Office from further embarrassment.”
LINSOD urge the Ghana Bar Association to join in calling for Attorney General resignation.
Click here for full statement by LINSOD
