Anas exposé: Judicial Council sacks 19 staff

The Judicial Council has meted out stiff sanctions to staff over various offences.

While some were sanctioned over their complicity in the judicial exposé of undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, a few others were punished for misconduct in other offences.

A release on Thursday, March 17 listed 10 staff of the Judicial Service as dismissed “for consciously and willingly acting as conduits between representatives of ‘tigereyepi’ and the judges and for illegally demanding and receiving various sums of monies for the judges and themselves”.

Nine others have been removed from office “for holding ex-parte discussions with representatives of ‘tigereyepi' and facilitating meetings between the said representatives and the judges”.

Five were reprimanded "for accepting ‘Thank You’ gifts from representatives of ‘tigereyepi’”.

Three persons namely Michael Turkson of Somanya’s District Court, Irene Minta-Jacobs of Accra’s Archives Unit and Evans Abban of Nsawam’s Circuit Court were exonerated as the allegations made against them could not be proven.

One Owusu Ansah, described in the statement as a private court process server attached to the Mamponteng District Court, has had his employment with Documentation and Court Process Company terminated.

“Mr Owusu Ansah was found to have engaged in corrupt acts in the ‘tigereyepi’ investigations.”

Two members of the lower bench in Accra – ME Essandoh and Kwame Ohemeng Mensah – have also been suspended for three months. Their case was not related to Anas’ exposé.

Two other persons – Leonard Yao Agbogbli and Andreas Akpabli – have also been removed from office for misconduct unrelated to the investigation by Anas.

“In the light of the above, the Judicial Council would like to appeal to the general public and indeed all court users throughout the country to pay only the approved court fees at the designated pay-points within the courts and not to engage in any monetary transactions with any judge or staff of the Service.

“The Council further urges the public to desist from giving gifts of any form including ‘thank you gifts’ to staff of the Judicial Service in the course of their work as this has the potential to negatively influence judicial process.”

The public has been asked to report any officer who demands money before rendering service, to the Complaints Unit or directly to the Chief Justice.