Speaker poll: JUSAG backs move to probe Muntaka’s bribery allegations against Judge

The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG), has lauded the decision by Chief Justice (CJ) Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, to conduct investigations into the alleged attempted bribery of a female NDC Member of Parliament (MP) by a Justice of the Supreme Court (SC) to vote for former Speaker of Parliament Aaron Mike Oquaye in the speakership race against Alban Bagbin on 7 January 2021.

This follows MP for Asawase, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka’s allegations against the SC Judge.

A statement issued on Monday, 18 January 2020, by the association and signed by its National President, Alex Nartey, said: “The allegation that a Justice of the Supreme Court bribed a female MP-elect of the NDC and persuaded her to vote against the NDC’s nominee for Speaker for the 8th Parliament came to us as a shock.

“More particularly, when this statement came from no less a person than a senior member of Parliament, Hon Mohammed-Muntaka, Asawase MP.”

According to JUSAG, “allegations of these nature, lower the image of the Judiciary and erode the confidence that the people of Ghana have in it, especially at such a time when the citizenry is looking up to the Judiciary to resolve the election petition that emanated from the just ended Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.”

JUSAG noted that it believes that “the role of the Judiciary is very critical to the rule of law and for the sustenance of the democratic ideals that we profess as a nation. As such, every Ghanaian must do what he/she can to protect and defend the Judiciary to serve its constitutional purpose.”

It further noted that: “It is for this reason that allegations of such nature and those that seek to question the credibility and integrity of the Judiciary must not be allowed to pass without investigation or scrutiny.”

It added: “We, therefore, express our approval and support of the decision by His Lordship the Chief Justice to go into the matter and ask that the committee that would be put in place does its work with alacrity to settle the matter once and for all.”

Chief Justice Anin-Yeboah directed that Asawase MP assists the judiciary with investigations into the allegation he made.

A statement issued by the office of the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo on 13 January 2021, said that “the Chief Justice considers this allegation of impropriety a matter of grave import to the integrity of the Judiciary.”

Justice Anin-Yeboah, therefore, seeks the assistance of Mr Muntaka “to establish facts in order that the matter can be dealt with appropriately.”