Supreme Court must force Muntaka to substantiate his claim – Maurice Ampaw

General news for Tuesday 19 January 2021

Source: 3 News

2021-01-19

Asawase MP Alhaji Muntaka-Mubarak must be forced by the Supreme Court to appoint the judge who he says tried to bribe a lawmaker from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the election of a speaker of the 8th parliament , a private lawyer, said Maurice Ampaw.

Mr Ampaw said the allegation damaged the reputations of all of the top court judges in the land, a situation which requires lawmakers to disclose the identity of the alleged judge and produce evidence to that effect.

He said on Accra-based Net 2 on Monday January 18: “I beg the Supreme Court to deal with the election petition quickly and deal with Muntaka, he should be required to mention the judge’s name, he should be compelled to prove it.

“Otherwise, they should charge him for publishing false news and also for committing offensive acts, judging and imprisoning. For there to be a by-election in Asawase.

He added, “What Muntaka has done has seriously damaged the reputation of all Supreme Judges, and this is a serious matter.”

Mr Muntaka alleged that a Supreme Court judge attempted to bribe members of the NDC parliament to vote for Professor Mike Oquaye in the election of president of the 8th legislature.

He told Joy News on Sunday January 10, while discussing issues regarding the election of a president for the 8th legislature: “There was one who was headed by, I mean shamefully, a judge of the Supreme Court. [who] called a coworker, telling her what they are going to give her, she has kids [and] they will take care of his children; she can take fuel at the gas station for four years.

He reiterated his allegation on Citi TV on Monday January 11.

He said: “The former majority leader, the head of government affairs over the weekend, accused the NDC side that we were bribing MPs from their side.

“I said ‘no if you’re talking about bribes then find out who and who was calling the members on my side.’ And then I went ahead and said, “I can tell you if he wants to know, even some members of the Supreme Court were calling members from my side”.

“One of the people they called, they promised her all kinds of things, that she should mention her price. I don’t take what I’m saying lightly, I’ve heard people say all kinds of things, we know what we’re doing and we know what we’re holding.

When asked if he would be able to present evidence to that effect, he said: “We will certainly provide all these things, the call he made, the time the call was made. been passed and everything is there, so there is no doubt.

“If it is to investigate everything that happened that day, I am sure it becomes necessary and it arises. Obviously, we will let it be known, the member from my side who was approached is alive, she is not dead.

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) asked him to substantiate his claim.

The GBA said it found the allegation offensive and unpleasant as it could incite the public to hatred towards judges and also expose them to ridicule.

A statement co-signed by GBA President Anthony Forson Jnr and Secretary Yaw Acheampong Boafo on Thursday, January 14 said: “The Bar has read and considered with great concern the accusations made in the media in recent times regarding the justice.

“The Law Society finds the allegations offensive and unpleasant. They incite hatred among the public towards judges, expose them to ridicule and discredit them. Such allegations against the judiciary undermine integrity and erode public confidence in the process of delivering justice and can result in lawlessness.

“On Sunday January 10, 2021, the deputy of Asawase, Honorable Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, made an allegation of corruption concerning and affecting a judge of the Supreme Court in relation to the election of the Speaker of Parliament. The BGBA finds the comments totally unacceptable and hereby requests the Honorable Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka to substantiate the allegation or retract it and to apologize to the Supreme Court justices in particular and the judiciary in general.

“The GBA wishes to state that while the 1992 constitution guarantees freedom of expression, this freedom must be exercised with caution and must not be used to incite hatred or to subject the judiciary to ridicule and contempt. “

The Chief Justice responded to the allegation.

A statement signed by Judge Cynthia Pamela Addo, Judicial Secretary, on Wednesday, January 13, said Ghana’s Chief Justice Anin Yeboah is taking steps to seek assistance from Asawase MP Muntaka Mubarak in establishing the facts following the legislator’s allegation. against the judge who he said tried to bribe a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to vote for Professor Mike Oquaye in the election of a president of the 8th parliament.

“The judiciary has taken note with deep concern of the words of Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, MP for Asawase, which were widely published in the media, alleging that a Supreme Court judge tried to bribe an MP to she votes for teachers. Mike Aaron Oquaye, in the election of a President of the 8th Legislature, which took place on January 7, 2021.

“The general public is hereby assured that the Honorable Chief Justice regards this allegation of impropriety as a matter of grave importance to the integrity of the judiciary.

“The honorable chief justice is therefore taking steps to seek the assistance of the deputy of Mohammed Muntaka, to establish the fact so that the case can be dealt with appropriately,” the statement said.