Justice for sale!

HIS Lordship, HIS Worship, Justices, My Lord.

So they are called, so they are referred to.

Such accolade they are given, “Our Gods here on earth”, so we are told or made to believe.

With a runny nose, itchy throat, pounding headache and watery eyes, I watched, I saw and I heard negotiations taking place, money exchanging hands, goats, sheep, yam and sex being exchanged to conclude deals and show appreciation.

How my heart wept when I saw the actors and receivers of these articles and the money; there they were, our so called “Gods here on earth”, selling justice so cheap, with pride and without shame. Allies they had, court clerks, registrars and so called fixers (who have no legal background or training of any sort).

But was I surprised, mesmerized or shocked?

NO.!

I am a granddaughter of a past Supreme Court judge, a daughter of a late lawyer, a wife to a lawyer and a law student. I have seen and am previewed to the corruption in the judicial system but to see what I see in corridors and in closet filmed and showed in such a public arena is a sight to behold.

It is an EYE SORE.!!!

The judicial system as demonstrated in the documentary titled “GHANA IN THE EYES OF GOD-EPIC OF INJUSTICE”, has been turned into a business playing field, where there are buyers and sellers, negotiations, offer and acceptance and verbal contract and/or agreement.

But is Justice for Sale? And For how much?

Does our constitution give authority to our judges to sell justice?

No! No! No!

So why has thirty four of our judges undermined our constitution by selling their power and not defending their allegiance to the state as they ought to in our National Pledge as below:

I promise on my honour

To be faithful and loyal to

Ghana my motherland.

I pledge myself to the service of Ghana

With all my strength and with all my heart.

I promise to hold in high esteem.

Our heritage, won for us through the blood and toil of our fathers; and I pledge myself in

All things to uphold and defend the good name of Ghana.

So help me God

As they are Lords themselves, did they so soon forget that part of the Lord’s Prayer which says:

“Give us each day our daily bread,

and forgive us our sins

for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil.”

Had the 34 judges, said and reflected both the National Pledge and the Lord’s Prayer daily, the humiliation, disgrace and embarrassment they face today would have been avoided. By their own jittery reactions of seeking injunction and suing Anas Amereyaw Anas, they continuously display their nakedness of guilt and shame.

Do they sell justice because they know that as a country we do not value it appropriately? For instance who checks to ensure that accused persons are not remanded longer than necessary? The State has failed there

Nonetheless, from this epic revelation and evidence of judicial corruption I have learnt the following:

• Injustice is Cheap yet Expensive: Cheap because it can cost as low as GHC 250.00 or tubes of yam. Expensive because the repercussion of the injustice pronounced is priceless.

• Justice is Priceless: Fair trial and judgment has no monetary value.

• Justices are Vulnerable: Their condition of service is poor; working environment is in a devastating state. They are often enticed and because of their poor working condition they unfortunately fall into the temptation.

• Justices, His Lordship are nothing but humans who have assumed the God stature on earth, to uphold and defend the good name of Ghana.

• The seed of corruption is planted, nursed and harvested by many actors other than the justices, the client, the lawyer, the court clerk and many more. It is a chain of canker which starts with us and ends with us.

• Our systems seem to protect corruption. What we need to rectify is how our institutions work. Almost everyone is susceptible to wrong doing. But what keeps us on our toes is when there are punitive measures.

Therefore, it is only appropriate that these Justices undergo fair trial to be convicted.

As citizens of Ghana we must learn from this scandal. We are not ignorant to the existence of this canker but we must know as the saying goes that “every day for thief man one day for master”

As a newly law student, I have began to question if my years of going to law school and possibly advancing to become a Supreme Court Justice will be worth it. Will I be encouraged to allow the rule of law prevail or will I become vulnerable and fall short like Justice Ajet Nassam, Justice Quist or Justice Heward Mills? .

Nevertheless, I doubt not and believe that progressive change must start with me and for this reason, after viewing the scandalous documentary of the year, I pledge the following:

I Pledge Not to Buy Justice nor entice judicial personnel to sell justice to me no matter the case.

I Pledge to painfully endure the rule of justice if I so deserve it.

I Pledge to be a Corrupt Free Citizen of Ghana and let Justice Prevail at all times.

So help me God!

Writer:

Koiwah Koi-Larbi Ofosuapea (Mrs)

Officer-In-Charge-Of-Women -Affairs,

Progressive People's Party, Ghana