Judges Cleaner Laid To Rest Vindicated

By Larry-Alans Dogbey

One of the four blacklisted lawyers fighting to uproot corruption within the Judiciary, Alhaji Farhan Larry Bimi, was last Saturday buried at the Osu cemetery in Accra, in accordance with Islamic funeral rites.

Mr. Bimi, Chairman of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), died last week Friday at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, at 66 after a short illness suspected to be kidney or heart-related. He was hospitalized at the Cardio Thoracic Center for some days.

Meanwhile, to many, Larry Bimi was vindicated in his crusade against corruption in the judiciary, just before he died, by the damning audit report on the judiciary, released by the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) in a press conference last Tuesday. The Pressure group, accused the Judicial Service of engaging in massive corruption and misappropriation of funds.

A report by the Auditor General’s Department revealed “appalling” corruption within the service, and has asked the Chief Justice to institute immediate measures to clean her house, the CJA said.

Speaking to The Herald, his personal lawyer Samuel Cudjoe of Law Trust fame, who heard the news late and could not attend the funeral, described Mr. Bimi as “a fantastic character to be with,” and expressed shock at his demise. Lawyer Christ Ackummey too, was saddened that Mr. Bimi did not live long to finish his crusade of riding the Judicial corruption.

Mr. Bimi’s wish before he passed on was to be accorded a strict Islamic burial, and so his wish was granted. A large crowd of people, including the Muslim faithful, ministers of state, friends and sympathizers converged on his residence to bid him farewell.

The NCCE boss who hailed from Bimbagu in the Bunkpurugu Yunyoo District of the Northern Region, was a lawyer by profession.

He served the commission for more than ten years, and was known by many as one who did not mince words, and set the records straight. Mr. Bimi was also instrumental in campaigning for increased knowledge about the constitution and a strong advocate for civic education for Ghanaians.

Quite recently, Larry Bimi was in the news after the Association of Magistrates and Judges filed a complaint against him and three other lawyers, Dr. Raymond Atuguba, Mr. David Annan and Dr. Abraham Amaliba, for making comments about judicial corruption at an NCCE forum. The comments were made during the NCCE Constitutional Week Celebration, a brainchild of Mr. Bimi.

The four were dragged before the General Legal Council by the Judges and Magistrates Association although Article 234 of the 1992 Constitution stated in no uncertain terms that the NCCE “shall not be subject to the direction and control of any person or authority in the performance of it functions”.

His younger brother, Dr. Langbong Bimi, told an Accra-based radio station that the family is devastated by his death. “It is even more than a shock. It was a short illness; he has been on and off for some time.”, he said.

Dr. Langbong Bimi said about a week ago, his brother went for his regular dialysis. “I even spoke to him on [last week] Friday; he told me what to do and what not, and was ready to come back on [last week] Saturday. The doctors had said they will do the last thing and he will come back on Saturday, but I went there on Sunday and he couldn’t even talk; then unfortunately yesterday (Friday), the unfortunate thing happened. I don’t know which adjective to use, it’s a big shock, a big tree has fallen.”, said Dr. Bimi.

Former Chief of Staff under Jerry Rawlings Nana Ato Dadzie, a close friend of Larry Bimi, described his demise as “very shocking; I broke down and wept like a baby”.

He recounted that he and Mr. Bimi, together with the Chairman of the Lands Commission, Nana Adjei Ampofo, have been the best of friends since 1970 when they first met during an entrance examination into the law school.

Staff of the NCCE, which Larry Bimi headed for more than ten years, remarked that his death will greatly affect their work.

Augustine Akumanyi, a Deputy Chairperson of the NCCE, told Joy News: “It was a terrible blow to me…he was a very strong-will person, and I knew he will fight, but he lost it.”

Augustine described her former boss as a “very kind-hearted man and a pillar of support”.

Joy News’ Nana Yaa Fynn Thompson, who was at Larry Bimi’s Cantonments residence on Saturday afternoon, reported that the family and sympathizers were saddened by the death of the “major bread winner of the family”.

Vice-President John Mahama, who disclosed his close friendship with the deceased and some ministers of state, visited the family’s residence to console the family. The Vice-President described him as “a gem and a man of good counsel.”

He said fate has taken its course; what is left is for friends and family to continue to pray for his soul. Mr. Larry Bimi left behind a wife and a son, Larry Bimi junior. The funeral rite has been fixed for later in the week.