Mahama’s attacks on judiciary an embarrassment – Dame

Attorney General (AG) and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame has described former President John Dramani Mahama’s concerns about the judiciary as embarrassing and unjustified.

“It was a great dismay and embarrassment that, I heard a person who has occupied the highest office of state, that is the former President recently launched an unwarranted attack on the integrity of Ghana’s Judiciary. I observe that, this was the latest instalment of systematic attack by the former President, albeit unjustified,” Mr Dame said while addressing lawyers at the Ghana Bar Association Annual Conference in Ho on Monday, 12 September 2022.

According to the AG, the former President’s comments dints the image of the judiciary.

“I am compelled to comment on same in this address because they border on the security of the state and constitute a deliberate pattern of conduct aimed at undermining the independence of the Judiciary, an arm of government whose autonomy is crucial to its proper functioning”.

The AG further described the former President’s conduct as “deplorable.”

“Such conduct is clearly deplorable, coming from one who has occupied the highest office of President and aspires again to that office. At this moment, it is important for all to note that I express this sentiment not because I stand in opposition to former President Mahama as a politician.”

Mr Mahama, had recently said the image of the judiciary had deteriorated.

Speaking at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Lawyers’ Conference, Mr Mahama said: “So badly has the image of our Judiciary deteriorated that many of our citizenry openly make mockery of our justice system and of our justices. The phrase ‘Go to Court’ is these days met with derisive laughter, instead of hope that one will truly get justice”.

“There is, therefore, the urgent need for the Ghanaian Judiciary to work to win the trust and confidence of the citizenry, and erase the widely held perception of hostility and political bias in legal proceedings at the highest courts of the land”, the former President suggested.