Judiciary Scandal: 3 judges acquitted; demand apology

Some three out of the 22 judges being questioned over an evidence of corruption brought against them by Journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, have been acquitted and discharged by the five-member committee sitting on the case.

The three, Frank Ashietey Addo, Kaakyire Atta Owusu and Kofi Ahiabor Kasapafmonline.com understands are asking Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye investigative team to apologize to them.

Sitting continued today in a case described as Ghana’s biggest judicial corruption scandal.

Ashietey, a Magistrate in Prestea and accused of taking some 200 cedis at Kasoa for a case involving the Republic and one Torgbor argued he wasn’t the one captured in the video as taking the bribe.

Owusu and Ahiabor were also cleared because they had not sat on the said cases mentioned by Anas’ team, persons familiar with today’s session say.

Some twenty-two Circuit Judges and Magistrates who have been suspended by the Judicial Council following an exposé by Anas Aremeyaw Anas’. READ ALSO

Their suspension takes effect from Thursday, September 10, 2015.

The action by the Judicial Council follows a petition received by the Chief Justice, Lady Justice Theodora Georgina Wood, from Tiger Eye dated August 31, 2015.

Tiger Eye is an investigative firm headed by ace journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

The petitioner had prayed the President of the land through the Chief Justice to initiate an impeachment process against 12 High Court Judges as well as 22 Circuit Judges and Magistrates for compromising their positions.

A statement signed and released in Accra on Wednesday by the Judiciary Secretary, Justice Alex B. Acheampong said the suspended 22 Circuit Judges and Magistrates are being investigated by a five-member Disciplinary Committee of the Judicial Council chaired by a Justice of the Supreme Court.

According to the statement, the 22 were on September 7, 2015, served with letters stating the allegation against them and were asked to submit their response by September 9, 2015.

“The Judicial Council further decided that upon receipt of their responses, the 22 individuals should be suspended until the final determination of the matter,” the statement in part read.

The statement further revealed that the Chief Justice has also started the process of determining whether there is a prima facie case against each of the 12 High Court Judges.

The Judicial Council, Kasapafmonline.com learnt, has also instituted the necessary investigative processes to identify, for further disciplinary actions, other court officials who may have collaborated in these alleged acts of grave misconduct.