Too early to demand CJ’s resignation – Prof Asare

Law Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare has described as premature calls for the Chief Justice (CJ), Georgina Theodora Wood, to step down following a bribery scandal that has hit the Judicial Service. “It’s too soon and early to call for her resignation. Before anyone jumps to conclusion, we must wait and watch the evidence captured by Anas Aremeyaw Anas on September 22 to provide enough evidence before anyone can question the Chief Justice,” Prof. Kwaku Asare said. 34 Superior court judges have been caught on camera taking bribes and extorting money from litigants in the latest investigate report by the ace journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas. More than one hundred officials of the Judicial Service have also been cited in the expose that took more than two years to execute. Anas stealthily videotaped and audio recorded conversations with suspects or persons acting as agents of suspects. Already 22 circuit court judges and magistrates caught in the web of bribery have been suspended whiles 12 high court judges are under investigations as prescribed by the 1992 Constitution. Some of the high-profile judges implicated cited are Justice Essel Mensah, Justice Charles Quist, Justice Peter U. Dery of the Human Rights Court and Justice John Ajet Nassam known to have freed Alfred Woyome in the controversial 51 million judgement debt saga. Some legal practitioners, including Lawyer Morris Ampaw on Adom FM’s Evening News on Wednesday called on the Chief Justice to ‘honourably’ resign from her position. Speaking Wednesday on Adom FM’s Burning Issues programme, hosted by Listowel Kwadwo Fordjour, Prof. Asare dismissed the call. He said he is not surprised about the exposé. “I wasn’t surprise about this scandal because this is not the first time we’re hearing of corruption about the judiciary,” he said. A lawyer and law lecturer at the Faculty of law at Central University College, Yaw Oppong, has also dismissed the call for the Chief Justice’s resignation. Lawyer Oppong cautioned commentators on the matter. He said they must do well not to pass judgement on the judges cited in the scandal unless investigatons prove they are guilty.

 Source: Adomonline.com