Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson has asked Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah to step aside to allow for smooth investigations into the bribery allegations levelled against him.
Mr. Thompson said it is inappropriate for the Chief Justice to refer the matter to the Police CID for investigations.
He said the Chief Justice should not have referred the matter to the CID because ASEPA had already petitioned CHRAJ, which has the mandate to handle such cases.
Background
The Chief Justice petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), to cause investigations into a bribery allegation levelled against him by one Lawyer Akwasi Afrifa in the matter of Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta and Ghana Telecom and the Lands Commission.
The Chief Justice is surprised that without any shred of evidence his name has been dragged into a potentially criminal matter.
This is contained in the petition addressed to the IGP and signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo. The Ghana Bar Association and media houses have also been copied.
The petition said the Chief Justice has further directed that a complaint be lodged with the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Counsel, and express his readiness to assist with all investigations into the matter.
Mr. Justice Anin Yeboah said he is also considering his own civil legal options to ensure that the matter is dealt with to its logical conclusions. The petition noted that the Chief Justice has not met or seen the plaintiff anywhere, except in the courtroom when he rises to announce his name when his case is called.
The Complaint indicated that the plaintiff unsuccessfully petitioned for the recusal of the Chief Justice and Justice Victor Jones Dotse from the matter, on a claim that they were prejudiced against him.
The records further show that the Chief Justice was the only Judge on a panel who recently on 31st March, this year dissented in an application at the instance of the plaintiff, Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta in favour of the respondent, Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited.
