The Judicial Council has promised not to spare any of the judges and court officials who have been implicated in the recent corruption exposé in the judiciary.
The Council took the decision following revelations by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, which captured 34 judges in a video, taking bribes and in some cases, to influence their judgments.
[contextly_sidebar id=”fbACy6R4NQZLi9WbmOtNZlTYqlQOU0I8″]“The Judicial Council would like to assure the general public that the outcome of these processes would be made fully public and no one will be spared appropriate sanctions where culpability is established.”
This was stated in a statement from the Council and signed by it’s secretary Justice Alex B. Poku-Acheampong.
It said the Council “fully reckons” that the perception or actuality of corruption in the Judiciary “undermines confidence in the institution and cannot be tolerated to continue in any shape or form, hence the need to act with utmost dispatch.”
Meanwhile, the Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Woode has started the process of determining whether there is a prima facie case against each of the 12 High Court judges and 22 Circuit and Magistrate Court judges implicated.
The Council has constituted a five-member committee to investigate the matter following a petition from the investigative body “Tigereyepi.”
The statement added that all the 22 Circuit and Magistrate judges have been suspended effective, Thursday September 10.
“The Judicial Council has also instituted the necessary investigative processes to identify, for further disciplinary actions, other court officials who may have collaborated in these alleged acts of grave misconduct.”
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin