Member of Parliament for the Asante Akim-North Constituency, Andy Appiah-Kubi, expressed confidence that Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Justice Godfred Dame would heed the trial judge’s advice and step aside from the ambulance purchase trial.
During the court proceedings on Tuesday and Thursday, Attorney-General Godfred Dame was absent.
However, Deputy Attorney-General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, present in court on Thursday, declined to confirm whether the Attorney-General had complied with the judge’s strong recommendation to stay away from the case.
Justice Efia Serwah Asare-Botwey, the trial judge, strongly advised Attorney-General Godfred Dame to recuse himself from the ongoing case in the interest of justice and public perception.
After the court ruling on Thursday, June 6, Attorney-General Godfred Dame, speaking to reporters, disregarded the judge’s advice and indicated his intention to continue prosecuting the case.
However, NPP lawmaker Andy Appiah-Kubi, speaking on The Key Points on Saturday, June 15, emphasised that the Attorney-General should have recused himself even before receiving the judge’s advice.
He argued that due to Mr. Dame’s dual role as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, his continued involvement in the case could be viewed as being a judge in his own case.
“This is a criminal trial and knowing yourself as not only the Attorney-General but Minister of Justice… I’m sure you don’t want to be a judge in your own court,” he said.
The Asante Akim-North lawmaker also expressed satisfaction with the trial judge’s advice to the A-G, saying, “That is what any good judge will do.”
He continued, “Indeed, he [Godfred Dame] should not have waited for the judge to advise him to do that. Once you are in a case like that and you have been singled out for the decisions of the court, then it means that you are not as competent as you were before.”
“The best thing for him to have done and I’m sure that the Attorney-General will heed this advice and I’m grateful that the judge also gave the advice.
“In fact, I would have been grateful at that point in time to come to court and say that because of the proceedings, the way the evidence is coming the implications that are bringing me into the matter in person, I recuse myself and then let somebody else come and continue.
“I would have done that but all be it that he didn’t do it and the judge called his attention to it… I am positive he will adhere to that advice and recuse himself,” he stated.
Additionally, Mr Appiah-Kubi criticised the Deputy Attorney-General about his comments on the significance or otherwise of the admissibility of the leaked audio recording between the third accused Richard Jakpa and Godfred Dame.
He described the comments as “unnecessary”, stressing that the admissibility of evidence is based on its relevance; if the trial judge thinks it is relevant, he or she is supported by law to admit it.