Judiciary bribery allegation: Why I advised Muntaka to apologise – Dr Ayine explains

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga East in the Upper East Region, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has explained that he was part of those who advised Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, NDC MP for Asawase in the Ashanti Region to apologise to the judiciary over the latter’s bribery allegation.

Alhaji Muntaka alleged on January 7, 2021, a Supreme Court Judge was persuading a female MP from the NDC Caucus in Parliament to vote for Professor Mike Oquaye during the election of the Speaker for the 8th Parliament.

However, after Alhaji Muntaka had published an apology, Dr Ayine stated that even though he knew what actually happened, he advised his colleague to retract the allegation and apologise in order to keep the democratic dispensation growing.

“Our democracy is still fragile, we need to as much as possible ensure it grows very well, sometimes, when these issues happen, you have institutions locking horns or personalities in institutions locking horns,” Dr Ayine, former deputy Attorney-General postulated.

Suggesting that all was not well between the legislature and the judiciary, he pointed out that “if my colleague had not heeded my advice, several activities that would have led to proving such claim will rupture the cordial relationship between the two arms of government”.

Giving a typical scenario, Dr Ayine noted that “the judiciary drives an MP to a committee hearing or contempt proceedings, remember we are two coequal branches of government and the judiciary wouldn’t have been able to say Parliament should not make an enquiry into the allegation.

“If we were making an enquiry into this and it is public enquiry, you’ll find out the two arms of government are at loggerheads and fighting each other so Alhaji Muntaka should have investigated before making the claim public,” he said.

Alhaji Muntaka on February 6, in a press release, retracted an allegation a Supreme Court Justice tried to bribe an NDC MP-elect to influence her in the election of a Speaker of Parliament.

In his statement, he apologised for any harm done to the image and reputation of Justices of the Supreme Court and members of the Judiciary and indicated that existing historic cordial relations between the legislature and the judiciary would not be affected by the allegation but continue to grow in the interest of the country.