Stop trying to halt Anas’s judiciary exposé – Anti-corruption coalition
The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has asked for an immediate cessation of attempts at stopping the airing of the exposé on corruption in the judiciary, by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
The exposé “Ghana in the Eyes of God – Epic of Injustice” is a two-year investigation by Anas of corruption in Ghana’s judiciary; a series of secretly recorded videos which implicates several high court judges and magistrates who sold injustice by taking bribes.
The exposé is yet to be aired publicly but in the wake of its announcement, the video which Anas was reported to have said will shake the very foundations of Ghana’s democracy, was reported to have some judges very worried, with some falling ill and one suffering a mild stroke.
A statement issued by the coalition commended Anas and the Tiger Eye team for their work and urged that “the prompt attention given to the exposé so far should be sustained until the case is finally resolved and those found culpable made to face the full rigour of the law.”
“It is important to note that acts of corruption are conducted in secrecy and therefore any effort aimed at documenting empirical evidence that bridges the gap between the perception and the reality of corruption is a tremendous contribution to stemming the tide against the canker”, the statement said.
The coalition also commended the President, John Mahama, Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, and the Judicial Council for commencing investigations into the matter and taking disciplinary actions against the implicated judges and magistrates.
The statement asked the government and security agencies to immediately ensure the security of Anas and his team, for traditional and religious leaders to avoid interfering in any way, and for politicians and political parties to desist from politicizing the matter as corruption has no partisan colours.
The coalition also asked that the media commit to “unprejudiced and dispassionate reportage” that seeks only to inform and educate the citizenry appropriately on the matter” and for citizens to support all efforts in demanding transparent and accountable governance.
By Emmanuel Odonkor