AG Dame ‘unholy’ to address Bar Conference this year – Edudzi Tameklo

The legal counsel to the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has asserted that the Attorney General (AG) is unfit to address lawyers at this year’s Ghana Bar Association (GBA) Conference.

Godwin Edudzi Tameklo expressed firm confidence in Dr. Ato Forson’s innocence and criticized the AG’s credibility in speaking at the event.

Tameklo accused the AG, Godfred Yeboah Dame, of persecuting Dr. Ato Forson, who serves as the Minority Leader in Parliament.

He recounted how the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) had initially instructed them to take the police statement home and return with it completed, indicating that there was no wrongdoing from the beginning.

The lawyer emphasized that Dr. Forson’s opposition to the government’s Electronic Levy Bill in 2019 made him a target for persecution.

He pointed out that this stance has led to the current legal challenges on the ambulance purchase.

In an interview on Tuesday, lawyer Edudzi Tameklo stated that due to his conduct, the AG is not fit to address the 2024 Ghana Bar Conference.

He believes that the actions of the AG have compromised his integrity and suitability for such a role.

“When the Attorney-General goes to the point of meeting an accused person and first of all, anybody that has criminal charges against him, he is deemed vulnerable and especially with the counts that can get you 10 years imprisonment, you are dealing with a vulnerable person and per the professional etiquette rules, you are not permitted to deal with an accused person when that accused person is represented by a lawyer directly, you deal with him through his lawyer because of the vulnerable position he finds himself in.

“On April 9, 2024, the AG placed a call to Jakpa at 7:00am telling him to go and secure a medical excuse report and present it to a trial judge as though he was sick when you are not. I want to submit that at this year’s Ghana Bar Conference, the Attorney-General is not worthy to speak to lawyers,” he said.

Background

On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal, in a 2-1 decision, acquitted and discharged Dr Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa in the ambulance case.

The ruling overturned a trial court order requiring them to present their defence for allegedly causing a financial loss of €2.37 million to the state in procuring ambulances for the government.

While Justice Alex Poku Acheampong dissented, Justices Kweku Tawiah Ackah-Boafo and Philip Bright Mensah ruled in favour of the accused.

Following the ruling, AG Godfred Dame issued a statement criticising the decision as perverse and contrary to the substantial evidence presented by the prosecution.

He argued that the decision undermines public accountability and the rule of law.

Source:onuaonline.com