Her Ladyship Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, presiding over the ongoing Ato Forson ambulance case, has cautioned Sammy Gyamfi, the Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), for his public comments regarding the trial.

Last Thursday, Sammy Gyamfi held a press conference to express his disappointment with Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame over allegations made by the third accused, Richard Jakpa. During cross-examination, Jakpa claimed that the Attorney General had been calling him at odd hours to elicit testimony against the Minority Leader. This allegation has sparked public debate, with some calling for the Attorney General's resignation. The NDC has since promised to release evidence supporting Jakpa's claims.

At the press conference, Gyamfi suggested that if the Attorney General could contact an accused person without their attorney, he could potentially call a judge. This remark prompted Justice Asare-Botwe to question Gyamfi in court.

Assuming Gyamfi was absent during last week’s cross-examination, the judge initially summoned him for questioning. However, upon lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe's assertion that Gyamfi had been present, the judge discharged him but cautioned all parties to be mindful of their statements. She emphasized that public commentary would not influence the court’s decision.

“At the end of the day, the public has no decision to make. The only person who has the decision is yours truly. I’m the only one who has a decision. Allow me the peace of mind,” Justice Asare-Botwe stated.

When asked about his comment implying that a judge could be called, Gyamfi clarified that his statement was hypothetical and not directed at any specific judge. The judge warned him to be more responsible with his statements, stating, “Be more responsible with your statement. This is the last time I am cautioning you. Don’t ever forget that you are a lawyer for convenience sake. No Lawyer does what you are doing with the bench.”

She concluded, “Nobody should go out in the press saying somebody has called a judge. Let’s all be very circumspect.”

Following the court session, Justice Asare-Botwe held a private meeting with Sammy Gyamfi, Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, lawyers representing Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa, and former Attorney General Marietta Brew Appiah Oppong to discuss the matter.

After the proceedings, Gyamfi explained that his comment was not aimed at the judge presiding over the Ato Forson case.