MP for Asawase, Mohammed Muburak-Muntaka,
The NDC Member of Parliament for Asawase, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, has retracted and apologised for the allegation he levelled against the Justices of the Supreme Court concerning the election of the Speaker of Parliament on the night of January 7.
The Asawase legislator had alleged that a Justice of the Supreme Court had tried to bribe an NDC MP to influence her in the election of the Speaker.
He specifically alleged that the said Supreme Court Judge had asked the NDC MP to vote for Prof Aaron Mike Ocquaye who contested with Alban Sumana Bagbin in the election.
“Shamefully, a Supreme Court Judge called a lady colleague telling her what they will give her if she votes for Prof Mike Oquaye. He told her that they will help her take care of her children. She can take fuel from a filling station for free for the next four years.
“So we are going to look into it. We will look at the time he made those calls,” he alleged.
Investigation
The allegation generated a national debate, with many calling on the MP to name the said Supreme Court Judge involved.
This propelled Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah to state that the Judicial Service would look into the allegation.
A press statement signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo, explained that the Chief Justice would seek the assistance of the person who made the allegation to seek finality to the issue.
The Ghana Bar Association, for its part, stated that the allegations would incite hatred for the Judges and expose them to ridicule.
The Association in a letter dated January 12, 2021 described the allegations as offensive and distasteful, and asked the MP to substantiate it or retract same and apologise to the Justices of the Supreme Court and the Judiciary in general.
Apology
Subsequently, the Minority Chief Whip, in a statement issued over the weekend, apologised and retracted the allegation.
“Based upon good counsel, I have also decided to let sleeping dogs lie and will consequently refrain from any further public commentary on the matter which, as I have indicated was originally reported to me by a female colleague Parliamentarian,” he stated.
He stated that not specifically naming any judge “may have had the effect of scandalizing the judiciary in its entirety” adding that “this unintended consequence is deeply regretted.”
“It is my fervent prayer that the existing historic cordial relations between the legislature and the judiciary will not be affected by this incident but will continue to grow in the interest of the country,” the statement added.
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