An Accra High Court has stated that it has no jurisdiction to handle matters relating to the alleged misconduct of Attorney General, Godfred Dame, in the controversial ambulance procurement case.
The presiding judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, urged the applicants to direct the issue to the General Legal Council (GLC), as it is the appropriate authority to conduct probes into matters of ethics in the legal profession.
This comes after the court dismissed Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson’s application for a mistrial in the case.
It follows numerous applications filed by the first accused person and the third accused, Richard Jakpa.
The applications were; an order of inquiry into the conduct of the Attorney-General following the allegations made by Richard Jakpa to the effect that the A-G has been calling him at odd hours; an order of mistrial with the aim of terminating the case; a stay of proceedings until the application is determined; and a motion asking the court to strike out charges against the businessman.
However, the judge on June 6, found it problematic that the Attorney General engaged in a conversation with Mr Jakpa in a matter that was being heard in court.
This new conclusion was reached after the court listened to the tape presented by the third accused.
Nonetheless, she asserted that the GLC is the appropriate body to address the conduct of the Attorney General.
But the judge subsequently advised the Attorney-General to recuse himself from the case over these same allegations of professional and prosecutorial misconduct.
According to JoyNews' Latif Iddrisu, Godfred Dame stood up in an attempt to explain himself, but the judge maintained her stance.
The judge believes that the advice if heeded, will help promote public confidence in the judicial system.
On the whole, the court dismissed Dr Ato Forson’s application for a mistrial explaining that the Minority Leader did not show provisions that warrant a mistrial in this case.
Regarding the issue of an inquiry into the allegations of calls from the Attorney-General to Mr Jakpa at odd hours, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe determined that the request has no legal backing.
Credit: Kenneth Awotwe Darko