Pressure group, Alliance
for Accountable Governance (AFAG) is urging investigative journalist, Anas
Aremyaw Anas not to succumb to pressures not to show the video of the
bribery scandal in the judiciary.
According to the group, failure by Anas
and his team to show the video would be an indictment on their
credibility.
"The Tiger team must know that,
their integrity is at stake especially where along the line a judge or group of
judges try to undermine the authenticity of their finding through their
lawyers" the statement added.
AFAG is therefore challenging the
Tiger team to exhibit their independence and resolve to stand by the public on
the fight against corruption becuase it will be an indictment on the tiger team
if all except one of their painstaking investigations is not made available to
the public.
Below is the full statement
Alliance for Accountable Governance
(AFAG) salutes ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, for his
commitment to God and country, and his relentless effort to rid Ghana off the
cancer of corruption that is virtually tearing every institution and organ of
government apart. Big thumbs up to the Tiger Eye team for contributing
immensely to the collective cause of fighting corruption.
AFAG is however surprised that the
findings up to date has not been made public. It’s our belief that this
sterling investigative initiative was premised on the historical challenge
of enormous perception of corruption in the judiciary without any shred of
evidence. Over the years, the Ghana Integrity Initiative and other persons have
challenged the courts and in some instanced branded judges as being corrupt.
In 2011 the association of Judges
and Magistrates of Ghana recused themselves off cases involving Raymond
Atuguba et.al (
Following the stern warning issued by the Association of Judges and Magistrates
of Ghana in a petition to the General Legal Council (GLC) that they would
recuse themselves from cases being handled by four lawyers, who made
allegations of corruption against the judiciary, Dr. Raymond Atuguba, one of the
accusers of the judiciary, had been on the receiving side. The Supreme Court,
yesterday, declined to adjudicate a case in which Dr. Raymond Atuguba,
Executive Secretary of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) and counsel
for a cattle breeder, who is challenging the continuous stay in office of the
Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande, before the
court).
Fellow countrymen, in the past where
such allegations have been made in public, the outcome of any investigation or
position by the GLC has not been made public. Indeed, the public cannot testify
about any whip cracked against a judge(s). Judicial reforms have been
restricted to speedy trials and the introduction of witness statements. This
situation has deepened public mistrust in the Judiciary. It is in this vein
that:
(i) We call for the premiering of
videos on this judge’s bribery
(ii) public inquiry other than in camera hearing.
(ii) public inquiry other than in camera hearing.
The Tiger team must know that, their
integrity is at stake especially where along the line a judge or group of
judges try to undermine the authenticity of their finding through their
lawyers. Besides, the Tiger team may be feeding into the general perception of
some politicians trying to manipulate them to prevent the premiering of
the videos, and possibly, insulate some of the high court judges from the
consequences of their actions.
AFAG is challenging the Tiger team to
exhibit their independence and resolve to stand by the public on the fight
against corruption. Additionally, it is an indictment on the tiger team if all
except one of their painstaking investigations is not made available to the
public.
Historically, the public have been
previewed to all their findings with respect to previous investigations. This
allows for informed discussions. AFAG has been unable to speak critically about
this scandal because of the lack of hard facts. This notwithstanding, we are
happy to commend if true, the judges who refused to be bribed but on what
basis.
By: Adomonline, Ghana
Comments