Leave the good Judges alone-Ayenini

Accra March 9, GNA - Mr. Samson Lardy Ayenini, President of the Ghana School of Law (GSL) Students Representative Council (SRC) has condemned politicians who give political colour to laws and turn people against good judges.

Citing the interpretation of the law on causing financial loss to the state, Mr. Ayenini noted that judges needed great courage over such cases adding, they risked their integrity of being impugned and being demonized. Speaking at the launch of GSL 51st SRC week celebration in Accra on the theme: "Upholding Fundamental Human Rights; the role of the law student," Mr Ayenini noted that that some politicians had now turned themselves into courts of law as well as arrogating to themselves the sacred role of law Lords.

He said two political parties were guilty of "the sacrilege" of also passing judgment on cases that involved their members. Mr. Ayenini said students were saddened at the way in which pure law which was taught by the best legal brains in the world was subjected to reckless adulteration by politicians.

The SRC President mentioned that "the blood curdling screams by rampaging mobs at the courts must end" adding, "the phenomenon posed a serious threat to the administration of justice and compromised the rule of law."

According to Mr. Ayenini, " the sooner we moved from the new threat of coups against objective reasonable laws and impartial administration of justice in Ghana, the better".

The SRC President observed that judges were not some "infallible Zeuses" whose conduct if found to be improper, must not be questioned adding, "we must cut out, exorcise the politics and do the critiques using fair objective standards".

He therefore tasked the Ghana Bar Association to revisit the days when it took frontline stand in shaping national discourse and influencing policy. "The GBA must win back the trust of our people, especially the poor and vulnerable by erasing the perception that those they trust to fight for them soon forget their oath and pledge to be men not of timorous souls who would do justice without fear or favour."

On the activities of Constitutional Review Commission, Mr. Ayenini appealed to the commission to tap the expertise of constitutional experts to enhance their work.

Touching on moves to have campuses of law school in parts of the country, Mr. Ayenini said, it should not only benefit Kumasi but everything should be done to absorb the swelling number or backlog of law graduates who could not be admitted.

"It is hoped that as a number of institutions start running the LLB programme, the council would ensure effective monitoring so that the already worried standards were not compromised.

He also appealed to GSL to give students, formal representation at the level of decision making in the administration of the school. Activities during the week include a job fair, fun games, memorial lectures, beach party, a dinner dance, and thanksgiving service.