• Frank Davis has defended Godfred Dame’s comments at the Bar Conference in Bolgatanga
• He said, the AG was against the running of commentary on cases pending in court
• He said, the AG’s statement was misconstrued wrongly
Lawyer Frank Davies, a former President of the Ghana Bar Association has defended the Attorney General over his caution that lawyers should not denigrate the judiciary and further undermine public confidence in the justice delivery system.
According to him, many of the lawyers who disagree with the Attorney General are misconstruing his point.
Davis explained that Dame in his speech at the annual Bar Conference in Bolgatanga was condemning the commentary that lawyers run when there are cases pending in court. He stressed on Joy FM that, this is something that is unethical and unfortunate.
“Lawyers go out of their way to pontificate on cases pending before the courts, and most often than not the lawyers who are involved in that practice have not even seen the courtroom before.
“When I hear my colleague, lawyers run down judges and decisions of the court in the manner most of them do now, I ask myself whether they will go back to the courtroom, it is a bit unfortunate and very disappointing for the profession,” he said.
Frank Davies further said the avenue where lawyers are to display their legal range is in the courtroom, and not sitting on radio and giving analysis on cases pending in court adding it “is unethical and borders on professional misconduct.”
Speaking at the Bar Conference on Monday, September 13, Godfred Dame stated that, when cases are pending in court, some lawyers try to create an impression in the minds of Ghanaians while others misrepresent the effects of court ruling through “mischievous” analysis within the public sphere.
He observed, “these practices are vicious and misguided, to say the least. It holds true that the arena for the lawyer to test the strength of his reasoning or the validity of his argument is in the courtroom, and not the airwaves or modern-day social media.”
Talking about his recent experience, Dame noted that, there have been some unwarranted attacks mounted against him and a judge after he successfully led the prosecution of an application to set aside the $15million judgment debt as a result of the activities of the former Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining about two years ago.
Dame, then indicated that some lawyers suggested, “rather preposterously and absurdly, that the Judge in question should be removed from office.
“How ridiculous! It is as if they revel in judgments or rulings against the State, and when same are successfully challenged, it is disappointment galore for them.
“However, as long as Mr Dame remains Attorney General, the State will zealously protect its interest in litigation, just as private legal practitioners will protect the interests of their clients.”
The Attorney General added, “Throughout the history of Ghana, the Judiciary has served us well in its capacity to develop fundamental principles and give life to the aspirations of the citizen.
“It is no time to destroy same beyond redemption, or to, may I borrow the words of Lord Toulson at this stage, ‘to give it a funeral oration’.”