The Public Relations Officer of Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Saviour Kudze, has expressed his support to the Attorney-General, Godfred Dame’s proposal for live telecast of all court cases of national importance except election petitions.
Mr Kudze noted that there was nothing remotely out of place for the A-G to have passed such comment on the need to air court cases. He explained that in spite of some sentiments against the call by the A-G to air court proceedings, the Justice Minister’s comment was commendable.
“I agree with the Attorney-General. I believe that once we are able to make a determination as to what case or cases constitute cases of national or public interest, then we are good to go.”
Saviour Kudze
Commenting on the need for the Bar Association to be a defense mechanism for judges against scrutiny and scathing comments, Mr Kudze explained that it is imperative for lawyers to speak up in defence of judges.
“Traditionally it is true that judges don’t talk. It is lawyers or the Bar who mostly bring out issues that concern judges. That is why on our regional rounds sometimes as the bar executives, when we find problems about their conversation, both in the courtroom and in the residential, we bring it to the attention of the powers that be. So, it is true that they don’t talk. We do the speaking for them most of the time.”
Saviour Kudze
A-G versus justice delivery system
On his part, the Director of Legal Affairs of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amaliba, expressed that the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, is becoming a danger to the country’s justice system due to some remarks he made on some lawyers denigrating the judiciary.
Mr Amaliba revealed that he sharply disagrees with the Attorney General’s position in admonishing lawyers who criticise the judiciary. He indicated the Attorney General’s persistent support of judgments by the Supreme Court poses a threat to the justice delivery system of the country.
The NDC’s Director of legal affairs explained that such utterances by the Justice Minister would instead disrupt the confidence in the judicial system of the country.
“I totally disagree with the Attorney-General. Let me start by saying that the Attorney General is increasingly becoming a danger to our justice delivery system. His conducts and comments on always coming to the defence of the judiciary would give the perception that the Executive and the Judiciary are friends and critiquing the work of the judiciary doesn’t make you an enemy. Indeed, it is more dangerous if the perception is out there that our Attorney General is a friend to the Justice or the Supreme Court.”
Abraham Amaliba
Mr Amaliba emphasized that it is more dangerous for the Attorney General to be the “spokesperson” of the judiciary. He noted that it doesn’t equally augur well for him to take a “swipe” at lawyers, because for the AG, “all lawyers should agree with what the Supreme Court says”.
The Attorney-General, Godfred Dame at the opening of this year’s Bench, Bar and Faculty Conference on Thursday, April 21, 2022, indicated that some lawyers disseminate falsehoods about the judiciary on social media after losing a case.
Citing the case of Akoto and Tuffour v Attorney-General, Mr. Dame stated that despite the fact that some lawyers were quick to jump on social media to propagate what sometimes, is falsely portrayed as academic critique, “they are loath to engage in a real scholarly examination of judgments” of the Superior Courts. This, he explained, brings to bear his recommendation which he believes will assist in curbing what he described as unacceptable practices in the legal fraternity.
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