General News of Wednesday, 6 November 2013

Source: XYZ

‘Probe bribery claim against election petition Judges’

A former Presidential Aspirant, Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy, has suggested that Chief Justice Georgina Wood must investigate and probe allegations of bribery against some of the members of the panel of Justices that sat on the election petition case.

The New Free Press online, alleged in September that Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II was the conduit for millions of dollars paid to some of the Justices of the nine-member panel.

According to the story, which was vehemently denied by the Manhyia Palace, Otumfuo allegedly negotiated the bribery deal between the first Respondent in the case, President John Mahama and some of the Justices, a few days before the August 29, 2013 judgment day.

President John Mahama himself also denied the story and condemned the allegation.

The story created a storm of controversy in the media and threatened the peaceful post-verdict atmosphere.

Manyia Palace referred the matter to the National Media Commission (NMC) to investigate the story and take necessary action against the New Free Press, even though the office of the paper remains untraceable.

Notwithstanding the Otumfuo’s strong denial, Dr. Arthur Kennedy believes the Chief Justice must probe the matter.

He told Radio XYZ’s Strict Proof on Monday that: “I think that we should start enforcing accountability and integrity and the chief justice for example can begin by looking at the accusations that were leveled against the panel that looked at the election dispute. You know people openly accused them of being corrupt. I think we can start by looking at that”.