Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine and Godfred Yeboah Dame
Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has slammed his successor, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, for blaming him for the discontinuation of cases involving pro-National Democratic Congress members, which he (Dame) was prosecuting while in office.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Friday, February 14, 2025, Dame expressed his displeasure about the current Attorney General, accusing him of not being professional in some of the cases he (Dr Ayine) has dropped.
He indicated that Dr Ayine should be the last person calling him unprofessional because there is currently a case of professional misconduct against him at the General Legal Council, filed by no other person than a justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
“Dr Ayine’s unfounded allegation insinuating unethical conduct on my part in the conduct of the ambulance trial – Republic versus Cassiel Ato Forson and Others – is highly disingenuous and rather, unfortunately, recaps the series of falsehoods persistently published by foot soldiers of the NDC and other uninformed members of society.
“I must say that I find it quite ironic for Dr Ayine, who is a subject of disciplinary proceedings for professional misconduct still pending at the General Legal Council, filed by the Honourable former Chief Justice himself, to accuse me of unethical conduct,” he said.
Dame also asserted that Dr Ayine should not have been approved by Parliament as Attorney General and Minister of Justice due to the professional misconduct case against him.
“In the interest of the nation, the case of professional misconduct pending against Dr Ayine at the General Legal Council should have been determined before the parliamentary assessment of his suitability or otherwise for the high office of Attorney General and Minister for Justice of the Republic,” he said.
Background:
Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine faulted Godfred Dame as he outlined reasons for discontinuing some high-profile cases initiated by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government involving former appointees of President John Dramani Mahama.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, Dr Ayine said that his decision to drop the cases was based on defective charges, lack of evidence, and legal flaws that could have led to wrongful prosecutions or acquittals.
Dr Ayine cited, for instance, the case of Republic vs Collins Dauda and Others, where the first accused was charged with misapplying public funds amounting to $200 million.
“In other words, the value of that built environment is, in my considered opinion, a key determinant of how much of the total sum was allegedly misapplied by the Honourable Collins Dauda. Discounting the value of the built environment renders those charges, in my considered opinion, defective,” he stated.
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