By Hannah Dadzie
Former Commissioner of CHRAJ, Emile Short says it would be unwise for the Commission to continue with the investigation on the bribery allegation against Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah after President Akufo-Addo rejected the petition to remove him. Speaking on GBC’s Current Affairs Programme, “FOCUS” which discussed the alleged bribery against the Chief Justice.
Mr. Short said it would be improper, because the investigation may result in the same outcome. He said the President threw out the petition on the basis that the Petitioner did not have any concrete evidence, adding that his evidence had no foundation.
‘’The petitioner could have waited for CHRAJ to complete its investigation, but it chose to submit the same petition to the President, at the time, when the matter was pending before CHRAJ, so I don’t think the matter can go back to CHRAJ. This would be highly improper for CHRAJ to re-open the case that had already been determined by the Council of State and the President’’.
Former Attorney General, Ayikoi Otoo said if the petitioner had any fresh evidence they could reopen the case on the basis of law, within six months.
‘’ If you want CHRAJ to investigate that could be done, but not removal. For now, the case is closed, but they have another window in 6 months, if they have any evidence they can bring it. You can re-open it on the basis of law, we must follow the law’’, Mr. Otoo stated.
Executive Director of ASEPA, Mensah Thompson said they will petition CHRAJ again, adding that if it fails they would go to Court with fresh evidence.
‘’This is not a matter that we can just decompose, why we are calling for this investigation is that we want the matter to come to its meaningful conclusion. If the allegations were true, then the Chief Justice would have to face the law in accordance with Article 146, but if the allegations are false and then the lawyer who made the allegations must also be made to understand that you cannot libel a certain Chief Justice and go scot free. We have enormous evidence therefore; we will go to court if we cannot petition the CHRAJ again’’.
MP for Bawku Central and Member of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament, Mahama Ayariga is of the view that President Akufo Addo acted in compliance with the law.
‘’ I don’t have a problem with the President, as for the President, he acted according to law, but am saying that the law itself is wrong’’, according to the Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga.
