Ghana Judicial Council sacks 20 judges caught in Anas bribery exposé video
The Judicial Council has dismissed 20 of 21 Circuit Court Judges and Magistrates in the judicial bribery scandal. They were investigated for misconduct after investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas filed a petition for their removal.
Following a two-year investigation, Anas and tigereyepi petitioned the Chief Justice for the removal of 23 lower court judges on grounds of misbehaviour, pursuant to Article 151 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
Two were however exempt as they had been elevated to the High Court as of April 2015 and could not be removed by Article 151.
Anas’s petition was accompanied by audio-visual evidence of bribery in which the accused judges and magistrates had been secretly recorded selling injustice and collecting bribes to pass favourable verdicts.
Following the petition, the judges came under the investigation of a disciplinary committee chaired by Supreme Court Justice, Sophia Adinyira and including two past presidents of the Ghana Bar Association, Frank Beecham and Nene Amegatcher; Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, Brigadier General Edward Fiawoo, and Justice Elizabeth Ankumah of the High Court.
At a press conference on Monday December 7, 2015, the Judicial Council announced some of the judges and magistrates were removed with end of service benefits and some others dismissed without.
It explained that those removed with benefits were remorseful when they appeared before the Committee and apologized profusely to the people of Ghana and the Judiciary for bringing the Judiciary’s name into disrepute by their conduct.
Those removed with benefits are Seyram Tsatsu Azumah, Akropong Circuit Court; Paul K. Alhassan, Agona District Court; Albert Zoogah, Ashaiman Circuit Court, and Courage Ofori Afriye, Offinso District Court.
Those dismissed without benefits are:
Benjamin Y. Osei, Juaben Circuit Court
Frank Kingsley Oppong, Kasoa District Court,
Michael Boamah Gyamfi, Mampongten District Court;
Alex Obeng Asante, Tarkwa Circuit Court;
William Baffoe, Cape Coast Circuit Court;
Emmanuel Opare, Techiman Circuit Court;
Alfred K.A. Mensah, Somanya District Court;
Baptist Kodwo Filson, Bibiani Circuit Court,
Emmanuel K. Sunu, Bolgatanga Circuit Court;
Florence Otoo Ninepence, Tema Circuit Court,
Isaac B. Akwantey, Wa Circuit Court,
Samuel Ahiabor, Adidome Circuit Court,
Jacob Amponsah, Ejisu District Court.
By Emmanuel Odonkor