Ghana’s former Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has issued a strong-worded public statement defending his professional record and rebuking fellow legal practitioner, Thaddeus Sory, for what he describes as a pattern of personal attacks and misinformation.
In a letter circulated widely on Facebook, Mr Dame accused Mr Sory of harbouring a long-standing obsession with his work and reputation, stating, “I live in your mind rent-free.”He further criticised what he described as Mr Sory’s “abusive and offensive language”, calling it a violation of professional standards expected within Ghana’s legal fraternity.
The statement appears to be a direct response to recent commentary by Mr Sory questioning Mr Dame’s litigation record during his time as Attorney-General. Specifically, Mr Sory is alleged to have mocked Dame’s assertion of an unbeaten courtroom record while in office.
Mr Dame, however, refuted that narrative, pointing to several high-profile losses by his office in Ghana’s superior courts — cases which, he argued, demonstrate the strength and independence of the judiciary rather than any personal failure.
“The record will show that as Attorney-General, I publicly touted some significant losses suffered by my office… as a symbol of judicial independence in Ghana,” he said, citing Supreme Court decisions in the Dormelovo removal case and COVID-19-related restrictions among others.
The former Attorney-General also revisited a past legal encounter with Mr Sory from over a decade ago, claiming victory in both the High Court and Court of Appeal. He suggested that Sory’s continued criticisms may be driven by professional envy.
“A person who cursorily reads your write-up will be permitted to infer that you suffer pangs of jealousy,” Dame wrote.
Mr Dame also took the opportunity to highlight his international successes, asserting that his leadership at the Ministry of Justice saw Ghana prevail in all international arbitration cases handled without foreign counsel, including a major award of $2.2 million in Ghana’s favour in late 2024.
The statement, which reads as both a personal and professional defence, underscores growing tensions within Ghana’s legal and political landscape, especially as the current administration grapples with issues surrounding judicial independence.
Mr Sory, a prominent legal figure and counsel to high-ranking political clients, has yet to respond to the letter.
Despite concluding with an assertion that this would be his “only and ever response,” Mr Dame’s parting words suggest more may follow: “When Godfred Dame coughs, the whole NDC catches a cold.”
