Godwin Edudzi Kudzo Tamakloe, Director of the National Democratic Congress Legal Affairs, has described former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Godfred Yeboah Dame as “untouchable” during his time in office even as storm clouds gathered over his conduct in the high-profile Richard Jakpa case.
Speaking on TV3’s Keypoints monitored by Kumasimail, Tamakloe detailed the internal divisions within the legal fraternity over how to address Dame’s actions.
“Godfred was untouchable, regardless of him being an Attorney General. From 2021 to 2024, he was simply untouchable,” Tamakloe stated emphatically.
He revealed that when the tape recording between Dame and Richard Jakpa, the accused in the high-profile ambulance procurement trial emerged, the Bar Council faced a split decision on how to respond.
“Even for the Bar Council to take a decision on it wasn’t easy; it was a split decision,” Tamakloe said.
Tamakloe recounted the 2024 Bar Conference, where the issue of Dame’s attendance and right to deliver a speech became a contentious debate.
“The Bar Council itself, even at the GBA, were divided. Some members insisted that Dame needed to apologize before being allowed to speak, given that his actions had brought public ridicule and damaged the reputation of the legal profession,” he explained
He further highlighted the alleged breach of legal ethics by Godfred Yeboah Dame.
“At the time when he had engaged Richard Jakpa, Jakpa was represented by lawyer Thaddeus Sory. The Attorney General, or any prosecutor, should not be dealing directly with a represented person. It’s a clear breach of the rules of engagement.”
Tamakloe noted that while some senior Bar Council members pushed for Dame to be barred from speaking at the conference, others advocated for a compromise, leading to a split within the council.
“I’m just telling you that within that period, Godfred was simply untouchable,” he reiterated.
Source: www.kumasimail.com / Kwadwo Owusu
