Judgment Debt Commissioner Justice Yaw Appau is questioning the commitment of lawyers working at the Attorney General's Department to defend the state.

He suspects they are failing in their duty to protect the public purse and wants the state to take a second look at those it recruits to work there.

The commission at its public sitting on Tuesday heard circumstances under which one Peter Abbam was paid a judgment debt, in connection with the construction of the Kanda Highway, which he did not deserve.

In the said case, judgment was awarded in favour of Mr. Abbam after the state failed to file a defense.

The Department of Urban Roads had insisted he did not deserve to be paid compensation because his property that was destroyed to make way for the construction was sited on government land.

Justice Appau lamented several of the judgment debts awarded against the state have been as a result of the Attorney General’s department failing to file a defense.

“When there are cases involving government, the attorney general would not bother at all….. What sort of country are we living in if people can take our monies freely just like that”, he said.

He questioned why cases against the state are disposed off within months, but those involving private individuals are litigated for several years.

He added: “I think it’s high time the state takes a second look at the caliber of lawyers that are recruited at the Attorney General’s department. It’s serious”.

Justice Appau called for a decoupling of the Ministry of Justice from the Office of the Attorney General to ensure effective supervision of the work of lawyers there.