Lead counsel Samuel Atta Akyea has defended his decision to stay away from court during Ghana’s ongoing legal vacation, insisting that he would rather “die for democracy” than compromise what he considers established legal traditions. Speaking on JoyNews’ Top Story, Mr Atta Akyea rejected suggestions that his absence from court amounted to giving up on his client. When asked why another lawyer from his firm could not hold his brief, Mr Atta Akyea said the issue was not about his personal status as counsel. Mr Atta Akyea said allowing lawyers to abandon established legal traditions for individual cases could set a dangerous precedent. He warned that failure by lawyers to defend the rule of law and established legal principles could ultimately weaken the legal profession and Ghana’s democratic institutions.