General News of Monday, 14 September 2015

Source: tv3network.com

Anas exposé: High court judges respond to CJ today

Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora WoodChief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood

The high court judges implicated in the exposé by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas are expected to present their responses to the Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood, on Monday, September 14.

The 12 judges – two having retired earlier this year – were given 48 hours by the five-member committee set up by the Chief Justice to respond to allegations levelled against them in a petition sent to President John Dramani Mahama by Tiger Eye PI.

The 12 judges are Frank Opoku, Charles Quist, Kofi Essel Mensah, Mustapha Logoh, Uuter Paul Dery and Ernest Obimpeh.

The others are John Ajet-Nassam, Kwame Ohene Essel, Ivy Heward-Mills and Gilbert Ayisi-Addo.

The rest are Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Mustapha and Yaw Ansu-Gyeabour, who have had their cases resubmitted to the president for further directives as a result of their retirement from service.

“In view of their status as retired justices, the two are not subject to the impeachment processes provided under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution,” a statement by the Judicial Council last Friday pointed out.

The responses of the 10 serving judges would inform Chief Justice Wood on the determination of a prima facie case against them as per Article 146 (3).

Meanwhile, the court staff identified in the video – which is scheduled to be premiered on Tuesday, September 22 at the Accra International Conference Center – have up to Tuesday to submit their responses.

They also face interdiction from the Judicial Service just like the 22 circuit court judges.

Tiger Eye PI has been asked to submit a full list of these court officials to the Council for further actions on those whose identities are not visible enough to the Council.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who is Chief Executive Officer of Tiger Eye PI, has submitted a list of judges who vehemently rejected his bribe and threatened to put him behind bars in what he calls the “upright judges".