Dormaahene’s plea for Quayson didn’t breach any rule – Dafeamekpor
The Member of Parliament for the South Dayi constituency, Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, says the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, did not breach any rule when he called on the Attorney-General, Godfred Dame, to file a nolle prosequi to discontinue the court case involving MP for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
The chief has come under heavy criticism following his comments on the pending court case.
However, the MP argued that it is unnecessary for people to vilify the Dormaahene for expressing his views on the matter, and emphasized that he supports the Dormaahene’s comments that the case should be discontinued.
Dafeamekpor asserted that the Dormaahene did not breach any code of conduct for judges and magistrates, despite being a sitting High Court judge, and lambasted those who have been insulting the Dormaahene.
The legislator stated, “Dormaahene has the right to freedom of speech. I’m one of the key advocates in support of his comments. I have asked around that they should show me the code of conduct which is a guide for every judge right from the career magistrate to the Supreme Court. They should show me a single regulation/code that his statement breached. So far nobody has been able to point it out, we should let Dormaahene be. His conduct in terms of the comments breaches not the code of conduct for judges and magistrates in this country.”
“I have gone through that code, and turned it upside down, the comments didn’t breach any code or any single code. The Dormaahene’s call is apt, constitutional, it’s in accord with the rule of law. H didn’t put a gun to the head of the Attorney-General. That is not what he’s doing, he’s making a plea. It’s up to the Attorney-General to heed the plea or ignore it. That is why we are a democratic country, so for some to bastardise him for giving free expression of his thoughts. I will rather the people who have rather engaged in undemocratic conduct”.
The Dormaahene, speaking during the John Evans Atta Mills 10th Anniversary Commemorative lecture in Sunyani, appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to discontinue the trial case of Mr Quayson and further called on the Attorney General to also file a nolle prosequi to end the matter.