'You can’t suspend Justices twice' – Samoa Addo to Akufo-Addo

Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo, counsel for Justice Uuter Paul Dery, Justice Mustapha Logoh and Justice Gilbert Ayisi Addo, all Justices of the High Court, has questioned the recent suspension of his clients by President Nana Akufo-Addo, together with Mr Justice Charles Quist.

According to Mr Addo, “Justices Dery, Logoh and Ayisi Addo are already on suspension pursuant to the fact that they are on half salary, not sitting and are not receiving their allowances”, hence the current government cannot suspend them again.

Mr Addo further backed his comments with a letter he posted on his Facebook wall signed by then-Vice-President, Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur on 2 October 2015.

In that letter, Mr Amissah-Arthur, at the time, said: “Following the setting up of a committee by Honorable Chief Justice, Georgina T. Wood (Mrs) to investigate the petition of Anas Aremeyaw Anas against you, the Judicial Council has advised me to suspend you pending the conclusion of investigations by the Committee.”

The suspension letter dated 8 May 2018 and signed by the Director of Communications at the presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on the advice of the Judicial Council, given in accordance with Article 146 (10) (b) of the 1992 Constitution, suspended, with immediate effect, four Justices of the High Court.

The letter said: “The suspension follows the establishment of a prima facie case against them by the Committee set up by the Chief Justice to investigate alleged acts of bribery and corruption against certain persons, including the four Justices, as contained in the 29th August 2015 petition of investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas”.

It further stated that by a letter dated Tuesday, 8 May 2018, the four Justices have been notified of the decision.

Their suspension follows their indictment in a bribery scandal uncovered by ace investigative journalist, Anas Arremeyaw Anas.