CHRAJ dismisses ASEPA’s petition to investigate $5 million bribery allegation against Chief Justice
We cannot investigate Chief Justice due to your petition earlier to the President – CHRAJ dismiss ASEPA’s petition
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has stated that it will not honour a petition to investigate a $5 million bribery allegation made against Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah.
This follows an initial petition filed by the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) on 12 July 2021 under Article 218(a) and (e) of the 1992 Constitution.
In its response to ASEPA’s petition the Commission stated that “Since the matter is pending in the appropriate constitutional forum, the commission, in the exercise of its discretion under Section 13 of Act 456, hereby ceases to investigate the complaint any further as the invocation of the Article 456 proceedings has effectively taken the matter out of the forum of the commission,” CHRAJ said in a letter to ASEPA.
It added that “it was brought to its attention that the complainant has also petitioned the President of the Republic under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution for the removal of the Respondent as Chief Justice, grounding the petition on the same allegations of bribery and corruption”.
“The said petition was submitted to the office of the president on the 13th of July 2021, a day after the instant complaint was lodged with the commission”, CHRAJ noted in the letter signed by its Commissioner, Joseph Whittal.
“While it may be conceded that the complainant in the instant matter before the commission did not claim, as a specific relief, the removal of the respondent, it is discernible from its invocation of Article 146 that, that is the ultimate destination of the complainant”, CHRAJ stated in its response.
It added, “The procedure for the removal of a Chief Justice having been specifically provided for in Article 146, it is our considered view that the provisions of the said article take precedence over the general provisions of Article 218”.
“Section 13(1) gives discretion to the Commission when confronted with a situation such as this, where there is a provision of law, as set out in Article 146 to deal with matters of this nature, and the complainant has taken advantage of it as evidenced by its petition to the President under the said Article, to refuse to investigate the matter.”
Meanwhile, the Council of State had on Friday, August 20, 2021, presented its report to the president. The president when receiving the reports said, “I will apprise you [Council of State] of my own findings on the matter”, adding: “I am hoping that my consultation will establish that there is unanimity between you and me on this matter before we can go on.”
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
