Judges are not infallible - Sam George

NDC Parliamentary candidate for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George has waded into discussions surrounding the imprisonment of the three Montie FM convicts.

Speaking on Peace FM's Kokrokoo, Sam George stated that Judges are not infallible humans and so are prone to making mistakes.

He added that due to the infallible nature of Judges, there is the need for President John Mahama to intervene by invoking Article 72 to pardon the convicts, Salifu Maase a.k.a Mugabe, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako-Gunn.

Throwing his weight behind proponents calling on the President to exercise his prerogative of mercy, Sam George called for further "legislation" on the law of contempt because to him, the law gives too much absolute power to the Judges; thus they become a Jury and Judge in their own matter.

“They (Judges) are not infallible. So, if they make certain rulings or they make certain mistakes in the exercise of their judicial duties; that is why the constitution puts a safety net for the citizenry in Article 72 that when the judiciary also makes a mistake or the judiciary does anything that is inimical to a citizen’s right, the President has the prerogative of mercy in Article 72 to correct some of those wrongs or perceived wrongs…I think it’s also important that we begin to improve on our own laws also by legislating on the principle of contempt so that we don’t leave the principle of contempt to the discretion of our respected Judges,” he stated.

Whiles condemning the comments by the convicts which he stated were unacceptable, Sam George however believed the trio stood no chance in court per the current contempt law.

“The court has become its own Police. The court has become its own Prosecution. The court became its own Jury and became Judge in its own matter. The three gentlemen stood no chance, absolutely no chance, in the Supreme Court.

“The comments by the three gentlemen are unacceptable and regrettable. It won’t help our democratic dispensation but to err is human. We all sitting at this table have erred before. But when people err or people make mistakes and admit their fault and apologize, there is forgiveness for a person because every human being is fallible; every human being makes mistakes," he stressed.