Judicial scandal won’t harm investments – KAMA boss

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KAMA Group, Dr. Michael Agyekum Addo, has played down rumours that the expose by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas will adversely affect investments into the country.

The American Chamber of Commerce recently warned that Ghana’s inability to handle the high-profiled judicial scandal will fade investor confidence, but the seasoned entrepreneur thinks otherwise.

“I think the exposé will rather grow business confidence. This will cause the judges to now sit up for at least the next one or two years. It will now make it very difficult for any judge to attempt taking a bribe when sitting on any case.

“What this means is business-related disputes that end up in court will be heard fairly; and all the business community wants is justice,” he told the B&FT in an interview.

The nation continues to be in shock on the back of an investigative report by ace journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in which over 30 judges have been accused of tampering with justice.

A section of the public have argues that this worrisome development will go to negatively affect investments into the economy.

But the KAMA boss remains upbeat the trust and confidence that has been lost in the legal system by the business community can be restored if the Chief Justice takes steps to cleanse and reform the judiciary.

He has therefore called for aggressive reforms that will cleanse the legal system: “Since lack of reliable legal system creates uncertainty and increases the risk of doing business in a country, there are rampant assertions in the media that investors have lost confidence following the exposé of corruption in the judiciary”.

Dr. Agyekum, who claims he has been a victim of injustice several times in court, shared how a previous court experience reduced his trust in the country’s legal system: “I remember I once had a case with a company that was fought in court for 13 years. Eventually, the case was ruled in my favour and I was supposed to be compensated for several millions; but the judge decided that the amount should be split into two so that I take 50 percent and the other party also takes 50 percent. So how can we rely on a system like this?” he asked.

The investigation by Anas caught 34 superior court judges on camera taking bribes, while over 100 officials of the Judicial Service have also been cited in the exposé that was carried out over a span of two years.

“For example, if someone fakes your drugs and you raise the matter up but nothing happens, how would you feel? If somebody buys from you and he doesn’t want to pay, you take him to court and you rather lose the case than win; how can you be happy doing business in the country? So I think this is going to increase investors’ confidence -- both foreign and domestic,” he added.

The exposé has resulted in the suspension of 22 circuit court judges and magistrates effective 10 September 2015, following video evidence detailing bribery. In a statement signed by Justice Opoku Acheampong, the Judicial Council has also put 12 High Court judges under investigation.