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General News of Wednesday, 12 December 2001

Source: Ghanaian Chronicle

Kufuor On Selormey's Sentencing: "That's a Matter for the Judiciary'"

President J. A. Kufuor preferred to remove himself from the judiciary when he waved off questions about the conviction and imprisonment of the first top NDC minister/official among the dozen currently on trial or facing criminal investigations.

To reports that the public were surprised about what they perceived as the light sentence imposed on Mr. Victor Selormey for the several acts of criminal malfeasance, the President had this to say,

"That's for the courts to decide and they have decided."

He was, however, quick to appreciate the sentiments of the public in the context of the parallels that may be drawn to the Mallam Isa case.

The President was speaking to The Chronicle in a snap interview at the lobby of The Grand Hotel, a rambling five star hotel that both Kofi Annan, the President himself and all the top international dignitaries and laureates stayed.

President Kufuor explained that the concept of democratic Governance spells out clear separation of the powers of the Executive and the judiciary and in the circumstances he is precluded from interfering with the ruling or decisions of a court of competent jurisdiction.

'That's the Law."

The President has been here since Saturday after an official tour of France from where he continued to Norway.