When A Judge Is Speaking, You Should Keep Quiet – Chief Justice Warns Akufo-Addo’s Lawyer In Court

Chief Justice Kwesi Anin-Yeboah today cautioned lead lawyer for second respondent in the ongoing election petition, Lawyer Akoto Ampaw, over interjections when members of the bench are speaking.

“Counsel, is it not a practice that if a judge is speaking counsel should keep quiet?” the CJ asked as the lawyer sought to continue a submission when the CJ was making a point. “Well noted,” the lawyer responded.

Before the caution, the CJ had told Akoto Ampaw that every paragraph in a witness statement under consideration stood on its own, to which Akoto Ampaw replied: “they are connected.”

Akoto Ampaw was making submissions on why certain portions of the witness statement of the petitioner’s third witness, Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, needed to be struck out before cross-examination continued.

Mettle-Nunoo is testifying away from the court via a video link due to a health condition. He filed his witness statement yesterday ahead of today’s sitting.

The court dispatched a judicial officer to his location after Akoto Ampaw raised the issue of possible ‘coaching’ of the witness.

Source: GhanaWeb