Cynicism, pre-judicial comments won't help AG's Appeals - NW

National Watch, a public interest advocacy platform and a pressure group says it is disappointed in the various commentary on the acquittal and discharge of Alfred Agbesi Woyome by an Accra High Court.

"Ridicule, opprobrium, cynicism, non-civility, unrefined language has since laced the utterances regarding the case [ruling] to the extent that some are already sounding pre-judicial and mocking the intended appeal that the Attorney General [AG] and Minister of Justice has given indication about," the group observed.

It noted that it was rather strange that Ghana's growing democracy is becoming a reference point in West Africa, Africa and the entire world, but the commentary is not focusing on the substantive matters of the Court ruling for public education.

NW said it is particularly scandalized by the fact that legal experts are part of the mockers and those sounding pre-judicial of a case that is not entirely over, having some sadly being extended to the AG and her person.

"National Watch wishes the Ghana Bar Association [GBA] and The General Legal Council [GLC] take urgent steps including remedial ones to not only curtail but prevent such developments in the future for they are too detrimental to the Justice system of our State, Ghana," it said.

The group believes the competencies of the AG, particularly on Judgment/Settlement Debts matters are not in doubt at all, as she, on assumption of office in the year 2013, saved the State an amount of US$28,598,000 in the Sweater & Socks versus the Attorney General & seven others case.

It also pointed out that at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the AG in another case brought against it by Balkan Energy, saved the State an amount of $3 billion, re-possessed the Osagyefo Barge as well as an extra cost of $300,000 awarded against the company, Bulkan Energy.

"So are many other cases today that she is pursuing and confident about winning for the State," they said.

NW argued they Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah Oppong is arguably the first AG who has immeasurable interest in every legal case against the State and almost always personally in Court seeking the interest of the State.

"From all of us especially Women in Leadership Advocacy Groups; patience, support, encouragement etc are what the very industrious Attorney General [AG] and Minister of Justice, Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah Oppong requires to be able to successfully execute the current case."