A lawyer and an Assistant Superintendent of the Ghana Police Service Akolgo Yakubu Ayamga, has been arrested and detained on the orders of the Supreme Court for contempt during court proceedings.
On 14 November, 2023 when his application was rejected, Ayamga reportedly screamed at the Chief Justice and other members of the Supreme Court bench.
A story published by thelawplatform.online.com disclosed that he was promptly arrested and detained after Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo who presided declared his conduct to be disrespectful and cited him for contempt.
Thereafter, Ayamga was led to a detention chamber where he was held awaiting trial for contempt.
It is reported that he had objected to the rejection of his application and the GH¢10,000 fee that was subsequently imposed against his side of the case being heard by the apex court.
The Chief Justice in particular was the target of his impassioned outburst, which made the court decide to act quickly.
Prominent legal experts, such as Addo Attuah and Dr Bassit Bamba, stood forward to ask for forgiveness on Ayamga’s behalf. The Chief Justice voiced concerns about Ayamga’s behaviour despite their best efforts, citing a similar incident at Takoradi High Court. She stressed the significance of upholding professionalism and ethical standards in court, saying that Ayamga’s acts were unworthy of a lawyer.
As reported by thelawplatform.online.com, one Justice Pwamang counselled Ayamga to follow the rules of the legal system and told him that hostility has no place in a courtroom.
Lawyer Addo Attuah, adding his voice to the plea for mercy said that Ayamga was still getting learning when it came to the nuances of legal ethics.
Justice Kulendi, a member of the Supreme Court Bench used the occasion to give a succinct talk about persuasive advocacy, drawing a comparison between it and the art of courting a woman. He underlined that persuasion, not force, is what wins courts over.
The Chief Justice decided to release Ayamga after hearing the cries for mercy and gave him a warning not to repeat the same actions.
