By Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, Jr., Ph.D.
While I, personally, would not have rudely impugned the professional integrity of Justice William Atuguba in the manner that the General-Secretary of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is widely alleged to have done (See "NDC Lawyer 'Begs' for Clemency for Sir John Over SC Contempt Charge" MyJoyOnline/Ghanaweb.com 8/10/13), nonetheless, it is quite understandable that Mr. Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie would call the judicial integrity of the presiding judge of the Supreme Court panel hearing the 2012 Presidential Election Petition into question, by describing Mr. Atuguba as "a hypocrite, a voodoo deity and a joker."
Indeed, most legal experts, resident both within Ghana and abroad, have express their utter displeasure with the blatantly biased manner in which the presiding judge has, so far, conducted himself. What bothers me more than all else, though, is the fact that the Supreme Court has kept mum while National Democratic Congress' rascally operatives like Nii Lantey Vanderpuye have continued to flout its decisions and orders with impunity. In the case of Mr. Vanderpuye, the latter continues to illegally occupy the legitimately acquired real-estate property of Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, more than a year after the highest court of the land unanimously affirmed the latter's legitimate acquisition and ownership of the aforesaid property.
But I am even more incensed by Mr. Akumey's disingenously cynical and downright presumptuous attempt to patronize the NPP-General Secretary. Sir John, as he is popularly known, is facing a contempt of court charge in connection with the admittedly intemperate and pejorative remarks that he reportedly made against Justice Atuguba. Mr. Akumey belongs to a trio of lawyers, including Dr. Raymond Atuguba, the widely known relative of the presiding judge and executive secretary to the legally embattled Mahama presidency, for viciously baiting and impugning the integrity of Ghanaian judges. The third member of the "Vicious Trio" has since passed on.
In essence, my contention here is that Mr. Akumey is not a decent man; not by any stretch of the imagination, to so cavalierly presume to plead for leniency on behalf of Mr. Owusu-Afriyie. And, to be certain, if I were the latter, I would courageously bite the bullet, J. B. Danquah fashion, by consenting to be immured and then vigorously and nightmarishly fighting Mr. Atuguba and his apparent paymasters from the slammer. For, needless to say, it is high time that a real man stood up to the invidious charade that is the unrelentingly nauseating culture of the Ghanaian judiciary, of playing butler to the whims and caprices of the judge-killing thugs and bullies of the so-called National Democratic Congress.
I must also quickly add, assuredly, that where the judicial operatives have bravely and honestly and honorably privileged their conscience over personal safety, such as in the celebrated case between Justice Henrietta Abban and Tsatsu "The Thief" Tsikata, I have not hesitated to commend and even mount a spirited defense in favor of the former.
Indeed, what also needs to be staunchly emphasized is the fact that between now and the end of August, or the beginning of September, when the Atuguba-presided panel delivers its verdict on the Election 2012 Presidential Petition, whoever emerges as the winner of both the media and psychological warfare, is also likely to be handed the verdict on a "black-gold platter." The hardened-criminal operatives of the so-called National Democratic Congress are fully mindful of this fact; and so should the frontline operatives of the New Patriotic Party.
So far, though, it is Mr. Anthony Abayefa Karbo who seems to be the most astute on this score.
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*Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, Jr., Ph.D.
Department of English
Nassau Community College of SUNY
Garden City, New York
August 10, 2013
E-mail: okoampaahoofe@optimum.net
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