His concerns come after the NDC charged the General Legal Council to stay away from investigating bribery allegations.
Reacting to the issue on the Morning Update on TV XYZ, the lawmaker said democracy should be tailored around competition of ideas and not blaming everything on politics as in the case of the CJ.
Dr. Kissi believes that it would be injurious to Ghana’s democracy to subject such allegations to political interpretation, adding that although the CJ was appointed by the current president, there is no need to politicise the allegations.
“The opposition is taking an opportunity to go low on a position which needs interrogation. The you are innocent until proven guilty mantra should not be overlooked,” he argued.
Dr Kissi pleaded with the (NDC) to be mindful of the issues at hand and stop playing politics with it because Justice is not grounded on perception but rather works based on facts.
“When the NDC come to power they will need these institutions, so they must be encouraged for the public to have faith in them,” he added. “What happens if they run it [the Judiciary] down and assume power how would they repair it?”
To him, the people asking for the CJ to step aside are the ones making people doubt the capabilities of the Police Service.
Background
There have been allegations against Chief justice by one lawyer Akwasi Afrifa who claims Anin-Yeboah demanded US $5 million from Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta VI.
This became public when the Kumasi-based lawyer responded to the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council (GLC) after a petition was brought against him by Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta VI.
In his response, Akwasi Afrifa alleged that the chief told him at the end of July 2020 that friends of his who were highly connected politically had taken him to see the Chief Justice who agreed to help him win his case on the condition that he drops him (Akwesi Afrifa) as the lawyer handling a case for him and engage Akoto Ampaw Esq in his stead.
“He [the chief] further informed me that the Chief Justice had demanded a bribe of USD$5,000,000.00 for a successful outcome of his case and that he had already paid USD$500,000.00 to the Chief Justice”, Akwesi Afrifa alleged Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta VI had told him.
The Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah, has denied the allegations and has consequently petitioned the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police (COP), Mr Isaac Ken Yeboah, to launch criminal investigations into the matter.
NDC’s Reaction
The NDC believes CHRAJ can deal with the matter very well to clear all doubts.
At a press conference Tuesday, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah charged the General Legal Council to stay away from investigating the bribery allegations.
“We disagree with the referral of these allegations to the General Legal Council’s Disciplinary Committee by the Chief Justice, for the sole reason that it is an offshoot of a body Chaired by the person at the center of these allegations-the Chief Justice. The likelihood for an impartial and balanced investigation by them into this matter would be quite minimal so long as the Chief Justice remains at post,” stated.
He added, “Conversely, CHRAJ, which has an enviable reputation of looking into similar cases of alleged corruption against highly placed state and government officials would be better placed to conduct such a serious inquiry.”
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