A former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has said all persons are entitled to choose any lawyer of their choice to defend them in court, regardless of the lawyer’s political affiliation.

According to him, there is no law that prohibits a politician who is a lawyer from accepting such offer to defend accused persons.

Reacting to public sentiments about his law firm’s representation of the four Chinese nationals said to be accomplices of Aisha Huang, Mr Blay noted that there is no point in saying other lawyers should have accepted the bid.

“If you say that I am a lawyer and a politician and for that matter when I go to court to defend no matter what the person is accused of, being an accused coup maker or a murder or a robber; you are saying that a former politician and as a lawyer in court I should not defend that client… is that the impression you are creating in this country?” he quizzed.

Freddie Blay underscored that lawyers of his law firm are not against due processes and would ensure the right procedures are followed throughout the trial.

“I feel good that the laws in this country allow an individual put before court to be defended; I feel good about this country that it is a country governed by law. Let this country know that we are not against due process; we are a country governed by laws and indeed a constitution.

“Individuals who may be brought before court cannot be considered to be guilty until proven so.”

He added, “I as an individual have been at the forefront [fighting galamsey]. Where I come from, Ellembelle, I have been in Teleku Bokazo, Nkroful… my firm was the first to go to court against Adamus on the degradation [of the environment] about 15 years ago. I have been doing that.”

On Tuesday, October 11, in court, Lucy Ekeleba Blay, a private legal practitioner, revealed that she was holding brief for Mr Freddie Blay in the case of the four accomplices of Aisha Huang.

The four accomplices are Gao Jin Cheng, Lu Qi Jun, Haibin Go and Zhang Zhipeng.

Mr Freddie Blay is the lead counsel for the firm in which Lucy Ekeleba Blay works.

Meanwhile, Mr Blay has denied any wrongdoing in his law firm defending the accomplices.