President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo receives the document from Nana Otuo Siriboe, Chairman of the Council of State
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last Friday received a report prepared by the Council of State concerning the US$5 million bribery allegation levelled against the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah.
The report, whose content was not made public, would establish if a prima facie case had been established for the impeachment of the Chief Justice.
This comes at the back of a petition by the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), a civil society anti-corruption organization, for the removal of the Chief Justice from office for the alleged scandal. The President, in turn, referred the matter to the Council of State to investigate the allegation and determine if there is a prima facie case to warrant the impeachment of Justice Anin Yeboah.
The President’s referral of the matter to the Council of State was in line with Articles 122 (3) and 144 (2) of the Constitution which obligate him to consult the Council to decide on whether a petition for the removal of a Chief Justice or a Justice of the Supreme Court has a prima facie case for an impeachment process to begin.
Good work
President AkufoAddo thanked the Council of State for the report, and pledged to take a decision on the matter based on the findings of the Council.
“I have, first, to thank you for the assiduous and punctual manner you carry out your functions as Council of State. Few people have made misguided comments on the standing and efficacy of your body. I recognize fully the value of this institution and the work you are doing for me and the country,” he said.
Nana Otuo Siriboe, Chairman of the Council of State, who presented the report to the President, said the Council had thoroughly weighed the petition and the documents that accompanied it before making its determination in the report.
Allegation
Mr Akwasi Afrifa, a lawyer, had alleged that the Chief Justice demanded a USD 5 million bribe from his client, Nana Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta IV, to influence his case before the Supreme Court.
The Chief Justice had denied the allegation and asked the Police Criminal Investigations Department to investigate the case.
Nana Kwesi Atta had also denied making the allegation against the Chief Justice.
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