…As GH¢500 Bribe Taker But ‘Dead Men Don’t Talk’ & Cannot Defend Themselves! Ernest Addo Reports

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) top lawyer, Chris Ackumey, who claims he has evidence of a judge who took GH¢500 bribe from a cash-trapped friend of his has finally named the judge as, Justice Abanga.

Close allies to Lawyer Ackumey, who spoke to this paper on condition of strict confidentiality, revealed that the NDC lawyer mentioned the judge’s name when he presented his so-called evidence to the Complaints Unit of the Judicial Service.

What makes the whole saga interesting is that according to judicial sources, the judge whose name Chris Ackumey has dragged into the controversy by naming as the bribe- taker has long kicked the bucket (details later).

Mr. Ackumey’s revelation comes against the backdrop of a letter signed by Justice Julius Ansah, a Justice of the Supreme Court and Director of the Complaints Unit of the Judicial Service giving him till May 31, 2011, for him to respond to the invitation and provide evidence to an allegation he had made earlier that he knew a judge who took gh¢500 as bribe.

The letter read in part: “In view of the seriousness of your allegation and the avowed aim of the Judicial Service under the leadership of the Hon. Lady Chief Justice to fight corruption in the Judiciary whenever it rears its head, I am inviting you to provide the Unit with information relative to this specific allegation so it can be investigated and the appropriate action taken thereafter.”

Chris Ackumey’s latest disclosure is a replay of his party founder’s claim during the NRC Proceedings when he was asked to produce the tapes of the late Amartey Kwei and the Air Force Station video recordings when he said that they (recordings) were with his late bodyguard, Warrant Officer Tetteh.

It will be recalled that Mr. Ackumey first made the corruption allegation whilst contributing to discussions on Joy FM’s Newsfile programme a fortnight ago and promised to name the judge at the appropriate time.

Presenting a general picture of the bribery allegation, Mr Ackumey said a cash-strapped friend of his requested GH¢500 from him to give to a judge who was demanding money from him to rule on his case.

Although he was not surprised by the demand, he said, for want of evidence, he (Ackumey) “borrowed” money from his wife and followed the man to bribe the judge through a registrar of the court. Stay Tuned.