Cross Examination of Investigative Journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas Adjourned to Friday 


The Committee investigating bribery allegations against 22 Circuit Court Judges and District Magistrates has given indication of going ahead with the probing despite the interlocutory injunction application pending at the Fast Track High Court.  

The court has fixed the 22nd of this month to hear the case, but the 14 judges and magistrates who have filed the suit want the process initiated by the Judicial Council stopped.  The affected judges and magistrates say the procedure adopted by the Judicial Council in dealing with the allegations against them breaches the law.  

Charles Bentun is Lawyer for the 14 judges and magistrates.  He explains that in view of the pending suit, it is their expectation that the Judicial Council will halt proceedings it has started and allow due process to be followed.

Another Senior Lawyer for the indicted judges and magistrates, is John Ndebugri said until the application is decided, the proceedings must cease. 
 
He said the injunction being sought is to ensure order and sanity.

Mr. Ndebugri intimated that anyone who contradicts the law will be cited for contempt, adding that until due process is followed, the affected judges and magistrates will boycott the proceedings.

Meanwhile, Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, on Tuesday appeared before the Committee hearing the case of the bribery allegations against 22 Circuit Court judges and Magistrates. 

The undercover Journalist who wore a veil as a disguise was chauffeur driven. He was in a long apparel with a pair of trousers, and in the company of a sound man and a camera man with police protection. His visit to the premises of the Judicial Service was to be cross-examined on the allegation of gross corruption his investigation company, Tigereyepi, levelled against some judges and court staff as captured on video. 

Radio Ghana's correspondents on the ground report that the Committee could however, not sit because one of its key members, Nene Amegatcher, who is the President of the Ghana Bar Association is at the BAR Conference in Kumasi. The Committee will sit on Friday.

Speaking on the case, a private Legal Practitioner, Abraham Amaleba says the suspension of the meeting to hear Anas Aremeyaw Anas is the right way to go to enable the court to assess the merit of the alleged bribery scandal.
  
Speaking to Radio Ghana, Mr. Amaleba agreed that Justice Dery and other colleagues are only buying time by going to court. But he believes that will not in any way exonerate them.  

He said it is not proper to stop Anas from showing the video because Ghanaians have the right to know what it contains.  

Mr. Amaleba also revealed that the video is with Aljazeera which can show it at any time.



GBC