Mr. Akolgo Yakubu Ayamga, an Assistant Superintendent of the Ghana Police Service and a lawyer with the Legal Department of the Service was arrested and detained today, 14th of November 2023 during proceedings in the Supreme Court.

The visibly incensed police officer and lawyer was arrested for contemptuous conduct against the court when he shouted at the Supreme Court bench in vehement disagreement over a dismissal of his application and the award of a cost of GHC 10,000 against his side.

Mr. Ayamga who had lost control over himself and shouted at the Bench presided by no less a person than the Chief Justice herself was marched out of the Court room to a detention room after the Chief Justice in open court said the Bench is citing him for contempt and thus ordering his arrest to be escorted by the police out of the chamber of the court. He was to be detained for his contempt and tried by the court after handling all cases listed for the day.

Mr. Addo Attuah, the most senior lawyer in the Supreme Court chamber and Dr. Bassit Bamba rose to their feet one after the other to plead with the Court to pardon the contemnor-police officer and lawyer who said he was 12 years at the bar after being quizzed by the Bench for his years at the bar.

On hearing the contempt against Mr. Ayamga, the Chief Justice said his conduct was not befitting of a lawyer. On his feet, Mr. Addo Attuah, a senior lawyer and retired police officer pleaded clemency for his learned friend and junior at the bar. He said he was not happy himself with the conduct of Mr. Ayamga who for him had lost his self-control. Mr. Attuah said Mr. Ayamga was still learning the ethics and etiquette of the profession and thus, should be pardoned.

Given the report and complaint by lawyer on the other side against the conduct of Mr. Ayamga at the Takoradi High Court, Her Ladyship the Chief Justice was worried about the conduct of Mr. Ayamga at the bar in courts below the Supreme Court given the display of his unethical conduct to no less a court than the Supreme Court.

Continuing the sermon by the court to Mr. Ayamga on his bad conduct, Justice Pwamang said if Mr. Ayamga is prosecuting a matter in court, he should know he is operating in an arena of rules and thus, aggression does not help the court.

The Chief Justice after listening to the plea of Mr. Addo Attuah discharged Mr. Ayamga charging him not to try such conduct in any other court. In a rather light manner, Justice Kulendi lectured Mr. Ayamga on how to win the court to agree with him on a case. To demonstrate his point, he likened advocacy in court to the wooing of a woman to laughter from the gallery and the Bench. He said the court is not swayed by anger or aggression but by persuasion.

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Mr. Ayamga was therefore forgiven for his conduct and left of the hook. He sat in court for a minute or two after he was discharged for the offence against the court. He walked out of the Supreme Court chamber some time after.