Former Ghanaian Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has publicly questioned the ethical judgment of ex-Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame for representing a political figure in a high-profile case shortly after leaving office.
Dame, who stepped down on January 6, 2025, is legally entitled to private practice but faces scrutiny over his involvement in a challenge to President Mahama’s handling of petitions seeking Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo’s removal.
In an open letter, Amidu stressed the importance of public perception for former officials, recalling his own 2001 decision to decline a politically sensitive case despite personal ties. “Every former Attorney General must weigh optics carefully,” he wrote, contrasting his restraint with Dame’s choice to represent Vincent Ekow Assafuah, an NPP MP contesting impeachment procedures against Torkornoo. While Dame is not directly representing the Chief Justice, Amidu highlighted concerns over his prior role in her nomination.
The controversy deepened when Chief Justice Torkornoo publicly requested access to petitions against her on March 27, 2025, seeking seven days to respond before any inquiry. Amidu criticized her decision to copy influential bodies like the Ghana Bar Association, arguing it undermined potential public sympathy. “Discretion could have offered strategic advantage,” he noted.
On May 21, 2025, Ghana’s Supreme Court dismissed two lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the impeachment process, filed by the Centre for Citizenship, Constitutional and Electoral Systems (CenCES) and Theodore Kofi Atta-Quartey. The rulings solidify the legal pathway for proceedings but underscore persistent tensions between judicial independence and political influence in Ghana’s governance.