Petition: Gyakye Quayson asks GLC to investigate Attorney-General for "professional misconduct"

The Member of Parliament for Assin-North, James Gyakye Quayson has petitioned the General Legal Council (GLC), requesting disciplinary proceedings against Attorney-General Godfred Dame over what he describes as professional misconduct on the part of the AG in his ongoing criminal trial.

The petition dated July 25, 2023, alleges that Mr. Dame provided “testimony contradicting that of the state's witness - Richard Takyi-Mensah, and that it was presented ”for the first time without any prior notice" to his side. 

"At the last adjourned date (19th July, 2023), during the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness, Richard Takyi-Mensah, after the witness had testified confirming that he had given a statement to the police to which he attached certain documents, which testimony is also reflected in the police statement itself the Attorney-General, responding to an application by my counsel fòr disclosure of the attachments the witness referred to, stated that there were no attachments to the said police statement. 

This clearly amounted to providing testimony to the court which, I am advised and believe to be true, is clearly contrarv to the rules of professional conduct by lawyers in a case," the petition detailed.

Mr. Quayson further claims that the AG “misconducted himself” by granting a media interview in respect to his case and Mr. Dame also used insulting language against him on July 16, when his counsel notified the court of his pending parliamentary by-election. 

“This gratuitous insult on the part of the Attorney-General was without any basis and had no place in the trial and, I am advised by my lawyers, is contrary to the Rules of Professional Conduct of lawyers.

The Attorney-General has also misconducted himself by his granting of at least one media interview in relation to my case. The Attorney-General has claimed in court that his comments followed a decision of the Supreme Court in respect of an application for an interlocutory injunction restraining me from performing my duties as Member of Parliament and were not in respect of my criminal trial. It is my understanding that the rules of professional conduct do not allow lawyers to grant media interviews in respect of cases they are handling. Thus, whether the media interview of the Attorney-General was in respect of the civil case in the Supreme Court or in respect of the criminal trial, the grant of such an interview was contrary to the Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers," the petition noted.

He maintains that the alleged actions by the Attorney-General has jeopardized his fundamental human right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and his right to a fair trial.