Lead consultant for the Robert Smith Law Group, Bobby Banson, has advised Ghana’s Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Dame to step down from the role in response to the raging controversy over his involvement in alleged witness tampering.
Banson asserted that, if he were in the Attorney General’s position, he would have resigned as a means of preserving the credibility of the office.
This stems from an allegation made by Richard Jakpa, an accused person standing trial alongside Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, for allegedly causing a financial loss of €2.37 million to the state in a deal to procure ambulances for the country.
Mr Jakpa claimed in court that Mr Dame had repeatedly sought his assistance to implicate Dr Forson in the ongoing trial.
At a press conference on Tuesday, NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia played a secret recording of the AG and Jakpa, warning that if the president does not heed their demands to sack Mr Dame, a future NDC government will take action.
Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Banson stated “if I were him, I would step aside. You know you are dealing with a situation where somebody you are cross-examining in a very highly sensitive case involving a politically exposed person says that you have attempted to influence the nature of my evidence. That is some wild allegation, and so if it is made, and it is prima facie evidence of a recording, you would clear yourself.”
According to Mr Banson, stepping aside from the role would allow independent bodies such as the General Legal Council or a commission of Inquiry, to conduct thorough investigations into the allegations without interference.
“Because the Attorney-General remains the adviser to the government in all legal matters. If you are setting up a commission of inquiry, will the president require an opinion from the Attorney General’s Office? What would I do in that capacity? If it is the General Legal Council, is the Attorney General represented in the General Legal Council?
“Would there be conflict? So, I would step aside and allow this investigation mechanism to go through. At the end of the day, his career was there before this office. So, if there is anything that would threaten his career, which the NDC and other members are making calls for, I think it is a very serious allegation, that he would need his name cleared, ”he noted.
