Former Attorney-General Godfred Dame hauled before General Legal Council

A formal complaint has been lodged against Ghana’s former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, at the General Legal Council (GLC), alleging professional misconduct in connection with an ongoing criminal trial.

The complaint, filed by citizen and legal activist Daniel Kwame Ofosu-Appiah on May 22, 2025, invokes Section 18 of the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32), which allows any individual to report a lawyer for professional misconduct.

The case at the centre of the complaint is The Republic v. Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson & Anor. (Suit No. CR/0198/2022).

Mr. Ofosu-Appiah’s petition focuses on a controversial audio recording admitted into evidence by the High Court and subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal.

The recording—entered as Exhibit 9 for the first accused, captures a private conversation between Mr. Dame and the third accused, Mr. Richard Jakpa.

The petitioner argues that the content of the recording reveals efforts by the former Attorney-General to improperly influence Mr. Jakpa’s testimony, potentially compromising prosecutorial integrity and the accused’s right to a fair trial under Article 19(2) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.

The complaint further alleges that Mr. Dame held four undisclosed meetings with Mr. Jakpa at a private residence and exchanged WhatsApp messages with him during the pendency of the trial—communications that occurred without the involvement of Jakpa’s legal counsel.

Citing numerous breaches of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 2020 (L.I. 2423), the petitioner lists violations including:

Failure to act with honesty and integrity

Engaging in deceit or misrepresentation

Direct communication with a represented party

Attempt to improperly influence a witness

Conduct likely to discredit the legal profession

Compromising the administration of justice

Mr. Ofosu-Appiah has called on the Disciplinary Committee of the GLC to impose appropriate sanctions in accordance with Section 16 of the Legal Profession Act, which could include reprimand, suspension, or even removal from the roll of lawyers.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Ofosu-Appiah emphasised the broader implications of the case:

“The conduct of the former Attorney-General… raises grave concerns about professional ethics, prosecutorial propriety, and the independence of the judicial process.”

The complaint has also been copied to the Acting Chief Justice, His Lordship Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.

Source: Classfmonline