A fiery confrontation unfolded in court on Wednesday as Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame and seasoned legal practitioner Tsatsu Tsikata clashed during proceedings.

Accusing the Attorney General of breaching the ethics of the legal profession, Mr. Tsikata launched a scathing attack on Mr. Dame, claiming a pattern of behavior and remarks aimed at prejudicing criminal matters before the court.

Highlighting a specific instance, Mr. Tsikata referenced the Attorney General’s statement concerning Adamu Sakande, suggesting it demonstrated a clear intent to prejudice the case. Mr. Tsikata, serving as lead counsel for the NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson, submitted documents to the court containing evidence of what he deemed prejudicial comments made by the Attorney General. One exhibit attached was a story published on myjoyonline.com.

In the story, Mr. Dame had stated that James Gyakye Quayson would face the same fate as Adamu Sakande. The Attorney General argued that his comments were made in the context of a civil matter unrelated to the ongoing criminal case and urged the court to dismiss the submitted documents.

However, Mr. Tsikata vehemently disagreed, expressing his disbelief at the behavior displayed by the Attorney General. He emphasized that in his 57-year career as a lawyer, he had never encountered an Attorney General who acted in such a manner. Mr. Tsikata raised concerns about prejudicial remarks and urged the court to intervene to prevent abuse of the process.

The Trial Judge, Mary Yanzuh, urged both lawyers to exercise restraint and reminded them of their duty as officers of the court to avoid abusive language. Despite this, the tension between the two escalated towards the end of the proceedings.

The court announced that it would deliver a ruling on whether the case should be temporarily suspended to allow Mr. Quayson to campaign on Friday. Mr. Tsikata requested permission for the NDC Assin North candidate to be absent from the proceedings on that day, while the Attorney General disagreed, asserting that an accused individual must be present during their trial unless they refuse to appear or disrupt proceedings.

As the argument continued, Mr. Tsikata decided not to respond, stating that he deemed it beneath him. The court granted the request for James Quayson to be absent from the proceedings on Friday, concluding the session.