Here is why Akufo-Addo dismissed ASEPA’s petition against Chief Justice, called it unmeritorious
President Akufo-Addo has dismissed ASEPA’s petition for the removal of the Chief Justice following the $5 million bribery allegation
A petition by the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), a civil society anti-corruption organisation seeking to remove the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, from office has been subsequently dismissed by the president Akufo –Addo as well.
The President arrived at this decision based on the recommendations of the Council of State, deemed the application by ASEPA was unmeritorious and unwarranted and was devoid of any basis to remove the Chief Justice.
This was contained in a statement issued and signed by him on Monday.
This follows an allegation by ASEPA in the July 13, 2021 petition seeking to invoke Article 146 of the Constitution for the removal of the Chief Justice that a private legal practitioner had accused the Chief Justice of demanding a bribe of USD5 million from his client to sway judgment in his favour in a case before the Supreme Court.
The Chief Justice, subsequently, debunked the allegation and asked the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service to thoroughly probe the matter.
President Akufo-Addo, following the receipt of the petition, referred the matter to the Council of State per of Article 122 (3) and 144 (2) of the Constitution and in line with a Supreme Court ruling that obliges him to consult the Council to decide whether a petition for the removal of a Chief Justice or a Justice of the Supreme Court had a prima facie case for an impeachment process to begin.
The Council of State, consequently, submitted its report to the President on Friday, August 20, 2021.
The report concluded that ASEPA’s petition for the removal of the Chief Justice on the grounds of “stated misbehaviour” is “frivolous and vexatious”, “does not meet the prima facie standard envisaged under Article 146 (6) of the Constitution and thus, ought to be dismissed in limine”.
Thus, President Akufo-Addo said in the statement that the petition was not anchored on any allegation made directly or emanating from the petitioner itself.
“The petitioner relies on allegations made by a certain lawyer, Mr Kwasi Afrifa, in his response to a complaint of misconduct made against the Chief Justice based on what he alleges another person (his former client), told him,” he said.
The statement said the petitioner did not make any allegation of bribery or any form of misconduct against the Chief Justice, adding that the petition was conjectural and speculative, providing nothing of substance to assist in proceedings for the removal of the Chief Justice.
“It is correct to say that the petitioner does not possess any personal knowledge of any of the matter that the petitioner advances as the foundation of the petition,” it said
“The petitioner fails to meet the threshold of proffering sufficiently strong evidence in support of his allegation for the opposing side to be called to answer to it.
“In actual fact, the petitioner fails to provide any evidence at all, in support of the spurious allegations made against the Chief Justice. It does not attempt to substantiate any of the claims in any form.
“To entertain further proceedings on third hand and fourth hand hearsay, as the petition is replete with, will violate legally acceptable standards of fairness and weaken the efficacy of the top echelon of the Judiciary,” he said.
Source: GNA
