Private legal practitioner and National Communications Officer of the opposition NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, has described the actions of the Attorney-General (A-G), Godfred Yeboah Dame, as “a walking disgrace to the legal profession” and the “hallowed office” of the Attorney-General.
Mr. Gyamfi’s comments come on the back of a testimony given by one Richard Jakpa, an accused person in the ongoing trial involving the purchase of some ambulances for the state, against Mr. Dame.
During cross examination by counsel for the Minority Leader, Jakpa was cautioned by the trial judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe to be direct in his responses and avoid wasting the time of the court.
In response to the judge’s caution, Attorney-General Yeboah Dame accused Jakpa of defending the Minority Leader.
The accusation prompted Mr Jakpa to retort that the Attorney-General seemed aggrieved because he had previously failed to get him (Jakpa) to help the state build a case against Dr. Ato Forson.
“The A-G has on several occasions engaged me at odd hours to help him make a case against A1 and I have evidence for that.. If he pushes me, I will open the Pandora’s box. I don’t understand why the A-G will accuse me of defending A1 when I’m here to defend myself,” Mr Jakpa said in court.
“If he pushes me, I’ll open the Pandora’s box. I have evidence to all this,” he added.
These comments, according to Sammy Gyamfi, were not mere allegations but a testimony he gave under oath, which he could be jailed for, should it be established that they were lies.
The NDC Communications Officer said on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, May 25, 2024, that, Godfred Dame’s conduct of contacting the third accused person to influence him to give a false testimony against Dr. Ato Forson is “professional misconduct. This is unethical. This is a disgrace.”
“Godfred Dame is a walking disgrace of the legal profession and that hallow Office [of the Attorney-General]” he stated.
Reacting to the fact that the A-G has issued a release to debunk the claims, Mr. Gyamfi noted that if he had any defence to the testimony, he would have given it in court since the court captured it as part of the proceedings.
He said anybody can put anything in a release without substance, unlike a court where one would be charged for perjury for lies.
“Why didn’t he say it in court? This is a press release to the media. Jakpa was testifying under oath, meaning that whatever he’s saying, if he lies, he goes to jail for perjury. Is that mean testifying under oath? Is he speaking to a judge in court? Well, this was a press statement after all anybody can write anything in a press statement,” he stated.
