The Director of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amaliba, has called on former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Freddie Blay, to desist from representing suspected illegal miners during court cases.
According to Amaliba, Blay is tarnishing his reputation by taking on such cases, not to talk of appearing to undermine the NPP’s stated aim of fighting galamsey.
Freddie Blay is lawyer for some Chinese nationals suspected to be accomplices of galamsey queen Aisha Huang, who herself is also represented by a senior NPP lawyer – Captain (retd) Nkrabea Effah-Dartey.
Commenting on the issue on Starr Today with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, the NDC’s legal director indicated that Mr. Blay should not be seen as compounding issues for the government as it wages war against the galamsey menace.
“So for the sake of the people of this country who are also fighting the galamsey menace, let me not involve myself in the matter. Sometimes your conscience should tell you what you should do.
“What has even compounded the issue is that in this whole saga of galamsey, the government officials have been fingered to be engaging in it. That is a new dimension. Our fight against galamsey, we are now seeing that names of appointees have been mentioned. Then you compound the problem for the government by defending those who have been mentioned as accomplices,” Mr. Amaliba stated.
He continued: “I think he is a senior lawyer, it is not always that you follow money. He will get his money alright but his image will be tarnished. I have done similar cases and where I feel that the people see my services will create the wrong impression I’ve given those cases to colleagues, who are not in the same situation that I find myself.”
Amaliba further said that Mr. Blay should hand over the case to any of his lawyers who are not connected to the NPP to handle it.
“Don’t forget Nkrabea Effah is also there as a lawyer and you are also there as lawyer and the government officials have been fingered as contributing to the menace,” he said.
Freddie Blay was unveiled as the lawyer for Aisha Huang’s accomplices during the most recent court date Wednesday, October 122th 2022.
Meanwhile, Nkrabea Effah-Dartey has opined that he’s representing Aisha Huang because he has bills to pay.
Freddie Blay has yet to give his reasons for representing suspected illegal miners.
Source: theGhanaianVoice.Com