The Leadership of the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has challenged the Chief Justice, Justice Kwesi Anin-Yeboah to step aside during the pendency of a $5Million bribery allegation leveled against him.
According to the NDC, Justice Kwesi Anin-Yeboah stepping aside will not only help the smooth process of investigation but save him from further soiling his hands in the ongoing investigations.
Addressing Journalists on Tuesday, he said “Good governance dictates that the Chief Justice steps aside during the pendency of the investigations by the Judicial Service relative to the issue of alleged misconduct on his part as a Supreme Court Judge. The Chief Justice cannot be a judge in his own cause, hence cannot set up a committee to investigate allegations of misconduct against himself.”
He added that the difficulty with the investigations concerns the Chief Justice adding that his status could push to punish the judicial officers involved in the case.
“The difficulty with this is that the investigations would concern the Chief Justice, who is the subject of the bribery allegations in this matter and in whom disciplinary authority against Judicial Officers is vested under Section 18 of the Judicial Service Act.”
The NDC's General Secretary used the press conference to call for a public inquiry stressing that it will help in unraveling the real truth of the allegations.
It is however emerging that Justice Kwesi Anin-Yeboah has denied the allegations leveled against him and has however petitioned the country’s Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to probe further.
“We believe that only credible and transparent investigations can establish the truth in this matter. And we hold the opinion that the transparent approach of a public inquiry is the best way to go. This approach we believe is in the interest of the Chief Justice who stands accused, and his accuser.”
Thinknewsonline.com has gathered that a lawyer whose name was given as Akwasi Afrifa, filed the petition against the Chief Justice.
It is also emerging that Nana Ogyeedom IV, who was his client, dragged Mr. Afrifa to the GLC alleging that the lawyer collected $100,000 from him with a promise to help get a favorable judgment on his behalf.
Ogyeedom Atta IV asked the council to order Mr. Afrifa to refund the $100,000, saying the lawyer failed to deliver on his promise.
In a response dated July 8, 2021, Mr. Afrifa denied the claims by Ogyeedom Kwesi Atta IV, further alleging that he was asked to refund $300,000 in legal fees to enable his client to raise a $5 million bribe to be paid to the Chief Justice to get a favorable decision in the legal dispute.
Below are videos and some pictures:
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith