Who judges the judges

The recent crisis that hit our judiciary was a shock and almost crippled our hope in the law makers in the country. But before this evil act among the lords of the law was unearthed by the ace undercover Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, I have heard by the hearing of the ear that judges are likened to gods on earth, and I asked why? I was told that the same way God in heaven has the sovereign will to imprison Satan and his fallen angels including evil workers in hell forever, in the same manner the judges have the right to decide how long u stay in prison.

My little ‘kukruku’ about the remuneration and living conditions of judges proves that Judges are catered for just to ensure that they work with integrity, probity and accountability. But before I concluded on my positive perception I had on the spotless office of the lords of the law, I had a ‘WhatsApp’ notification which was an image sent to me on one of the platforms I belong to. The image displayed a bunch of prisoners enjoying, dancing and very ecstatic and beneath the image was this inscription ‘’ When you hear the judge who imprisoned you is joining you soon’’.

In amusement I proceeded in finding out what was wrong on the internet, and to my amazement was the headline ‘’ 34 Ghanaian Judges cited for Corruption’’. Then I understood the joy behind the ecstatic and acrobatic display by this prisoners on the image sent to me.

So one may ask, how can judges who are supposed to be the linchpin of the system of justice and esteemed to be incorruptible be involved in such alleged blatant and flagrant abuse of judicial power?. Action like that of the judges which place monetary equivalence above any reasonable consideration is tantamount to moral bankruptcy and spiritual malfeasance.

This corrupt practice in our judicial system only implies that our systems are underpinned by systemic and endemic corrupt practices. Because we still wander till date, why the lords of the laws will stoop so low to such scandal of trading their hard earned integrity for a measly currency?, why should one with the prefix ‘justice’ be involve in an act of injustice?( we know they are humans as we are, but before you resumed office were you not aware of the rules in the game), and the most shocking aspect is why should a whole judge prefer a life goat over the emancipation of an innocent man?, why should some tubers of yam and snail cause a judge to free a notorious criminal back to cause mayhem in society?, what justify a sexual favour outside wedlock?.

These myriads of questions kept coming and I could see the look on Rev. Campbell’s face during the premiering of the video at AICC that he doesn’t even have the answers to these questions. We all buried our heads in shame and wish Ghana the best of luck.

The fact of the matter is, the investigation conducted by the undercover journalist just unravelled the fact that our system is faced with deep seated corruption and lack of moral integrity so more work must be done in restructuring our system starting from the home, schools before considering the office.

Why? What was the motive to become a judge, an accountant, a professional marketer or a physician? If the answer is to make money then am not surprise the malfeasance displayed in this sector of the judiciary, but if the motive was to help humanity and to help improve our dilapidated system then what ever amount you are remunerated with is enough to get the job done because Godliness and contentment is great gain like the good book said in 1 Timothy 6:6. A greedy man is never content, he will find ways and means of escalating figures and faking invoices just to make extra. But if we can change our motive of entering a particular profession then we can retain some sanity in the system.

Secondly, preserving the integrity of the name ‘ Justice wasn’t the priority before resuming office, the only motive behind the swearing in was just to make a lot of money and resign forgetting that A good name is better than riches( [Proverbs 22: 1). When Henry Ford lost his first investment, it was his good name that brought him back on his financial stands and not his intellectual prowess of duping his partners.

I don’t take pride in pointing out faults but I just hope those of us coming into the political and judicial limelight will take clue from the fact that the bible was not playing pranks when it said in Ecclesiastes 12:11 that For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

So we have a responsibility as a person, a nation and an association to consciously be discipline and uphold the value of integrity above the currency of our depreciating cedis( God will make a way though). I uphold in extreme esteem the Judges that refused to be bribed in the video and even gave scriptural rebuttals to the detestable act.

This means that all this judges wanted was not to decorate themselves with some academic ornament and pedigrees but to hold in high esteem the integrity of the judiciary and that is what as nation must stand for. I know heaven is celebrating them now but for those who scapegoated our judiciary for a life goat and masterminded judicial partiality I say, let the Law be Lord over the Lords of the Law.

GOD BLESS OUR HOMELAND, GHANA!!!!!

R. Duafah

(governorduafah@gmail.com)