What Judge dismissed over affair with divorce petitioner told disciplinary body

Former Circuit Court Judge for Jasikan, Alfred Kwabena Asiedu's letter responding to a petition that led to his dismissal, for having an affair with a petitioner in a divorce case, has popped up.

The judge submitted a detailed letter dated January 24, 2023, to the Director of Complaints Units at the Judicial Service of Ghana.

It was concerning an earlier petition by one Singari Diana Sadia, dated 16th January 2023, in which the petitioner alleged among others sexual impropriety, bribery demands and arbitrary arrest.

In his letter, the former judge denied the accusations, labelling them as false and a product of the petitioner's imagination.

“I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16th January 2023 referenced PC.13/2023 on the above subject matter and wish to respond accordingly and to state that every material allegation made in the petition is false and clearly made out the figment of the illusioned imagination of the petitioner," he stated.

Judge Asiedu's response provided a point-by-point rebuttal, contesting the allegations of an improper relationship, abuse of power, and malicious prosecution.

He asserted that the petitioner's claims were baseless and challenged the veracity of the evidence presented against him.

The judge also accused the petitioner of attempting to tarnish his reputation, citing her previous failed attempts to involve her ex-husband in making false claims against him.



“In response to paragraphs 2,3 and 4, I wish to say that I am not a Magistrate and her allegations therein are false save that she on merit won a case at the circuit court where I sit and was awarded in total, alimony and cost, of GHS28,000.00. You may request for the records of proceedings and the judgement for your perusal.

“That after the said case I became a father figure to both the Petitioner and the ex-husband and both have my contact,” part of his letter read.

He further alleged the involvement of court staff in aiding the petitioner to fabricate the allegations, expressing concern about the handling of such petitions by the Complaints Unit.

“…It is worthy of note that when the Petitioner made the offensive allegation that I am her boyfriend I in the next morning sent her a massage and she responded apologizing and explained why she did that. “But her subsequent conducts showed she was not as remorseful as she sounded in the message. I attached herewith a print out of the message for your perusal.

“Though this petition is baseless, unfounded and ought to be treated with the contempt it deserves, I am not surprised she has taken this path after all her consultations with oracles have failed her. She has made some earlier attempts to lie as she has done in this petition. She sought to get the ex-husband to join her to say that they never intended to go their separate ways but I forced her to sue the man.

“The sad aspect of the whole mischievous petition is the involvement of staff of the Service in aiding miscreants like this petitioner to make such allegations against people and most unfortunately the handling of the such petitions by the Complaints Unit.

“My checks indicate that the Petitioner was aided by a staff of the Dambai District Court to make this petition and the staff of the Complaint Unit unfortunately played along with them. I have come to believe the result of my checks from how the covering letter on the Petition is couched and the Petition despatched to me,” the letter added.

The Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, acting on a decision by the Judicial Council dismissed Alfred Kwabena Asiedu.

In a letter dated November 13, 2023, the Chief Justice noted that her decision comes on the back of a disciplinary committee report which established allegations of abuse of power, malicious prosecution and impropriety against the judge.

The letter noted that having established the allegation against the judge, the Judicial Council in a meeting on October 25, 2023, agreed that his conduct indeed amounted to misbehaviour and subsequently resolved unanimously in line with Article 151 (1) of the 1992 Constitution for his dismissal.

“You are therefore removed from Office as a Circuit Court Judge, with immediate effect. You are directed to hand over all official properties in you: possession, including your official vehicle, Dockets and Record Books to the Judicial Secretary forthwith.

"By a copy of this letter, the Director of Human Resource is requested to ensure that your name is deleted from the payroll of the Service with immediate effect,“ the Chief Justice ordered.



AM/SARA

Click here to follow the GhanaWeb General News WhatsApp channel

Watch the latest episode of Everyday People below:

Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.