A private legal practitioner, Chris Akummey has described as unnecessary, the petition by the Judicial Secretary to have Dominic Ayine investigated by the General Legal Council (GLC) of Ghana.

Speaking to Evans Mensah on Joy FM's Top Story, Thursday, June 3, Mr Akummey opined that comments made by former Deputy Attorney General, Dominic Ayine, with regard to the latter's disappointment over the performance of the Supreme Court in the 2020 election petition case, were temperate.

"I really did not hear any harsh words used. Secondly, I think that if anything at all, Ayine was very temperate in his use of words. He even expressed fear that he hopes that he would not be taken on but in the interest of producing some form of academic critique, he went on.

"I really don't see why this letter to him, inviting him to the GLC. It is unneccsary," he stated.

The Judicial Secretary today communicated in a press statement that the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah is displeased with statements made by Dr Ayine during a discussion on Presidential Election Petitions and their impact on Africa’s Democracy, organised by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Ghana.

Dr Ayine, who was part of the Legal Team of former President Mahama, during the 2020 Election Petition, is said to have questioned the independence of the Judiciary due to the manner the Supreme Court adjudicated the election petition.

According to the statement, "the Supreme Court’s failure to apply the rules of procedure as well as the consistent and continuous dismissal of the petitioners’ applications or reliefs were the basis of his assertion.”

It therefore petitioned the disciplinary committee of the General Legal Council (GLC) of Ghana to see to the matter.

To Chris Akummey, the petition will stifle the growth of freedom of expression and speech in the country as well as hinder the analysis of issues from an academic perspective.

He further added that the Chief Justice will be remembered for instiling fear among lawyers due to this decision.

"If the Chief Justice insists that the invitation must be carried out, all that he will be seeking to do will be killing the freedom of speech in the country, especially among lawyers. You will be seeking to kill freedom of expression and most especially, the academic approach of issue analysis.

"And also, you will be remembered forever for attempting to instil fear and trepidation among lawyers. When you are crossing the river, you must not criticize the crocodile. I mean, the Chief Justice must not turn himself into a crocodile so that any criticism of him, will warrant an invitation to the Legal Council. He should not turn himself into a crocodile," he said.

In view of this, he called for the withdrawal of the petition to the General Legal Council.

The former Deputy Attorney General, Dominic Ayine, was found guilty of contempt of the Supreme court after making similar comments during the hearing of the 2020 presidential election petition at a press briefing on February 16, 2021, which suggested that the Supreme court had a “pre-determined agenda” to rule against the petitioner, former President John Dramani Mahama.