Judicial scandal: Elevate “men of honour” to the bench - Kufuor

Ghana’s former President John Agyekum Kufuor has stated that the exposure of the judicial scandal means the elevation of judges must be critically done to ensure that men of honour are elevated to the bench.

His comments come after a total of 34 judges were caught engaging in corrupt practices and taking bribes to influence their decision on cases before them.

The video footage which entangles the judges and 180 judicial staff in the damning corruption scandal is expected to be aired on September 22.

Speaking at the Ghana Bar Association Conference in Kumasi in the Ashanti region Monday, Kufuor said the revelation has damaged the credibility of the justice system in the country.

“The movement from the bar to the bench should be revisited…the selection for elevation should be done so critically as to ensure that the chosen will bring honour both to the bench and the bar.

“Judges are expected to lead almost a hermitic lifestyle and being of the best conduct. In times past they were not even expected to socialize...the disgrace befallen our nation, our bench and our profession through the exposure should give all of us a very rude shock,” President Kufuor said.

One of the high profile judges caught in the bribery scandal is Justice John Ajet-Nassam, a High Court Judge, who freed Alfred Agbesi Woyome in the controversial Gh¢51 million judgment debt scandal.

He was videotaped and audio recorded in separate conversations with suspects or persons acting as agents of suspects before him to compromise big cases.

Other judges are Human Rights Court judge Kofi Essel Mensah and Charles Quist; a High Court Judge.

The over two years painstaking investigations by Anas will be released in full in the coming weeks.