'Lawyers can’t do politics just like that' – Appiah-Danquah slams Godfred Dame

Leading member of the United Party, Andrew Appiah-Danquah, has said former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame should have exercised greater restraint in commenting on the Court of Appeal’s decision in the Sedina Tamakloe Attionu case because of his legal background.

Speaking on the issue, Appiah-Danquah said lawyers, particularly those who have served as Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, are expected to be guided by the law when discussing judicial matters.

“When we are lawyers, we are a bit constrained. We can’t do politics just like that,” he said.

He argued that Dame’s remarks appeared to suggest that different standards of justice applied to different people.

“It seems to suggest there are two laws that apply to two sets of people. I dare say that it is even irresponsible coming from somebody who was not just an Attorney-General but was also Minister for Justice,” Appiah-Danquah stated.

He added that lawyers have a duty to uphold the standards expected of the legal profession.

“You must be guided by the law itself and the expectations placed on you as a learned person, especially when you have been the foremost learned person,” he said.

He said this following Dame’s criticism of the Court of Appeal’s ruling that acquitted and discharged Sedina Tamakloe Attionu after overturning her conviction and 10-year custodial sentence. Dame has maintained that the evidence presented by the prosecution justified the original conviction.

-mynewsgh