Ghana’s judges are being mocked in ‘chop bars’ – Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has said Ghana’s judges have become a laughing stock due to the recent corruption scandal uncovered at the judicial service. “The Anas video has provoked all kinds of salacious conversations and discussions both in private and in the media, and our judges regrettably have become the bat of jokes in chop bars and restaurants” the President lamented.
Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas in his latest exposé revealed how some judges took bribes from persons posing as friends and families of their clients [the accused]. Speaking at the inauguration of a new court complex, the President indicated that the scandal will have an adverse effect on the various arms of government and other key institutions. “This menace affects all segments of our society. The Executive, the legislature, the media, the judiciary, , traditional rulers, health facilities and indeed the list is endless…” Although the President is saddened by the recent scandal, he was also elated about the decision by some judges to stand their grounds and reject the offer from their clients. “….But two things in the present judicial affair give me course for hope. First, I am positive and I believe that there are many judges with a high sense of integrity and this is borne out again in the same Anas investigation. Anas revealed that in the case of ten justices, he was chased out and threatened with Police arrest”. The President was still confident in the judiciary despite the recent developments in the service, saying “majority of Ghana’s judges are people of integrity.” He further tasked those judges to grow and “overcome the cancerous cells invading Ghana’s judicial organ.”
On her part, the Chief Justice, Georgina Wood, was confident the service will overcome the incident and regain its integrity. The new court complex The ultra-modern court complex will accommodate 42 High Courts in addition to providing clinical and banking services to the beneficiaries of the facility. The US$50 million project, which began in August 2011, is funded by the Government of Ghana.
Other facilities in the six-storey building are judges’ chambers, cells, registries, witnesses’ waiting rooms, lawyers/clients meeting rooms, rooms for alternative dispute resolution, a conference room, a library, a banking hall, a clinic and a media briefing room. There is also a basement, which has a holding cell and car parks for the public and judges. China State Hualong Construction Limited was contracted for the project.
Source – Citifm
