Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council must be scrapped - Kwaku Azar

He said the Disciplinary Committee is "a moribund regulator that has stifled the growth of the law and justice in this country" adding that the Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga East, Dr. Dominic Ayine "must be freed, the CJ must focus on improving justice delivery, the GLC must be scrapped."

His comment comes after the MP has been dragged to appear before the Disciplinary Committee when the Chief Justice, Kwesi Anin-Yeboah filed a petition against him.

Dr. Ayine was reported to the GLC by the Supreme Court for allegedly berating the judiciary's conduct during the 2020 election petition in a panel session.

The Supreme Court in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council, accused Dr. Ayine of stating that "the Supreme Court's failure to apply the rules of procedures as well as the consistent and continuous dismissal of the petitioners' applications or reliefs were the basis of his assertion".

These comments were made during a panel discussion on "Presidential Election Petitions and their Impact on Africa's Democracy".

The NDC lawmaker got into trouble during the election petition by criticizing the court.

Dr. Ayine was charged with contempt following words he used in his commentary on the election petition case.

He was ordered to render a public apology; using the same medium through which he was found to have scandalized the court and brought its name into disrepute.

Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah Pulse Ghana

But Kwaku Azar said "Lawyers are footsoldiers of the Constitution and must be free to defend the Constitution as vigorously as possible subject only to the court rules, none of which bars them from expressing any opinion they want on an adjudicated case.

"In fact, law journals will be boring if all lawyers and commentators could do was to praise court opinions or to shy away from questioning the independence of the courts."

"No constitution will be adequately protected if the law regulator is allowed to create a monopolist provider of legal education and to also serve as the monopolist monitor of what those who are allowed to practice can say in and out of the courtrooms," he said in a Facebook post.