Indicted judges to boycott hearing

The suspended judges in the latest bribery scandal that has hit Ghana’s judiciary have threatened to boycott the sitting of the five-member committee investigating the case.

According to Starr News’ Court correspondent Wilberforce Asare, the lawyers of the embattled judges have advised their clients never to honour the committee’s invitation until an interlocutory motion is heard.

Per their reliefs, the 14 are seeking to halt the work of the Disciplinary Committee of the Judicial Council, which is currently gathering facts for onward submission to the Judicial Council for action.

The plaintiffs are Emmanuel Kofi Sunu, Benjamin Yaw Osei, Kodwo Filson, Seyram Tsatsu Azumah, Isaac Akwantey and Florence Ninepence.

Others are Jacob Amponsah, Alfred K. A. Mensah, Albert Zoogah, Isaac Amoah, Michael Gyamfi Boamah, Paul Alhassan, Stephen Asuure and William Baffoe.

Meanwhile, the five-member committee set up by the Chief Justice to probe the implicated judges in the corruption scandal has served notice it will continue with its sitting, despite an interlocutory injunction motion which is due for hearing on September 22.

The lawyers of the judges want the committee to suspend its sitting until the motion is heard.

The indicted judges are questioning the procedure being adopted by the chief justice towards impeaching them.

Thirty-four justices in all were caught on camera in a painstaking two-year investigation accepting bribes to free suspects in various cases.