Assin North MP, James Quayson Reports Attorney General, Godfred Dame to the General Legal Council for Professional Misconduct
In a surprising turn of events, Assin North Member of Parliament (MP), James Quayson, has lodged a formal complaint against the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, for alleged professional misconduct during Quayson’s ongoing criminal trial at the High Court, Criminal Division 3 in Accra.
Quayson, through his legal team, submitted a request to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the Attorney General, accusing him of breaching the rules of professional conduct for lawyers. The complaint centers around two specific incidents that Quayson claims demonstrate the Attorney General’s misconduct.
During the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness, Richard Takyi-Mensah, on July 19, 2023, Takyi-Mensah confirmed that he had attached certain documents to his police statement. However, when Quayson’s counsel requested disclosure of these attachments, the Attorney General stated that there were no attachments to the police statement. This contradictory testimony, according to Quayson, violates the rules of professional conduct for lawyers involved in a case.
Quayson further alleges that the Attorney General’s intervention influenced the witness’s subsequent refusal to answer whether he had indeed attached documents to his police statement. This, Quayson argues, demonstrates the improper testimony provided by the Attorney General and its impact on the witness’s credibility.
In addition to this incident, Quayson’s complaint highlights another instance of professional misconduct by the Attorney General. On June 16, 2023, when Quayson’s lawyer sought to inform the court about his client’s candidacy in the then-pending parliamentary bye-election in the Assin North Constituency, the Attorney General allegedly used insulting language against Quayson. Quayson claims that such derogatory remarks have no place in a trial and contravene the Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers.
Quayson’s complaint also points out that the Attorney General granted at least one media interview concerning the case, which is considered a breach of professional conduct rules. Whether the interview pertained to the civil case in the Supreme Court or the ongoing criminal trial, Quayson argues that lawyers are not permitted to provide media interviews about cases they are handling. The media interview, in the eyes of the public, was seen as prejudicial to Quayson and violated his right to a fair trial.
By lodging this complaint, Quayson seeks to hold the Attorney General accountable for his alleged professional misconduct, which he believes undermines his right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and his right to a fair trial.
The General Legal Council will now review the complaint and determine whether disciplinary proceedings against the Attorney General are warranted. Quayson’s legal team has promised to provide the Disciplinary Committee with the necessary evidence, including a certified true copy of the court proceedings and media reports, to support their claims.
As this case unfolds, it remains to be seen how the General Legal Council will respond to the complaint and what implications it may have for the ongoing criminal trial of James Quayson.