Ghana’s former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, has been formally dragged before the General Legal Council (GLC) on grave allegations of professional misconduct.
The complaint, lodged on Thursday May 22 by legal activist Daniel Kwame Ofosu-Appiah, centers on Mr. Dame’s alleged attempts to improperly influence a witness in a high-profile criminal trial, raising serious questions about the integrity of the nation’s legal system.
Professional misconduct
The complaint, filed under Section 18 of the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32), targets Mr. Dame’s conduct in the case of The Republic v. Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson & Anor. (Suit No. CR/0198/2022). At the heart of the matter is a controversial audio recording—admitted as Exhibit 9—which captures a private conversation between Mr. Dame and the third accused, Mr. Richard Jakpa.
Mr. Ofosu-Appiah asserts that the recording reveals a disturbing effort by the former Attorney-General to manipulate Mr. Jakpa’s testimony. Such actions, the petitioner argues, severely compromise prosecutorial integrity and potentially violate the accused’s fundamental right to a fair trial as guaranteed by Article 19(2) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
Further damning allegations include four undisclosed meetings between Mr. Dame and Mr. Jakpa at a private residence, along with undisclosed WhatsApp communications, all occurring without the knowledge or presence of Mr. Jakpa’s legal counsel during the trial’s pendency.
The petitioner has meticulously listed numerous breaches of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 2020 (L.I. 2423), including:
- Failure to act with honesty and integrity
- Engaging in deceit or misrepresentation
- Direct communication with a represented party
- Attempt to improperly influence a witness
- Conduct likely to discredit the legal profession
- Compromising the administration of justice
Mr. Ofosu-Appiah has implored the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council to impose stringent sanctions under Section 16 of the Legal Profession Act. These penalties could range from a public reprimand to suspension or even the ultimate disgrace of removal from the roll of lawyers.
In a poignant closing statement, Mr. Ofosu-Appiah underscored the profound implications of this scandal: “The conduct of the former Attorney-General… raises grave concerns about professional ethics, prosecutorial propriety, and the independence of the judicial process.”
A copy of the complaint has also been forwarded to the Acting Chief Justice, His Lordship Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, signalling the gravity of the allegations rocking Ghana’s legal fraternity.