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BETWEEN MILLS AND DE CHIEF JUSTICE


The 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana ties the hands of the President, as far as certain vital positions are concerned. For instance, he cannot touch the Ombudsman, the Electoral Commissioner or the Chief Justice. This is understandable, in view of the vital roles these personalities play to ensure that our democracy is not a farce. They are supposed to be truly independent, and if the President can dismiss them at will, their neutrality and objectivity would be jeopardized. See? 

But this does not mean these persons cannot be changed for incompetence or misconduct. So ask me what the Chief Justice has done to warrant her dismissal? Remember in the heat of the election declaration, when defeated Akuffo Addo sought to use legal means to frustrate our young democracy? Yes, he sent Atta Akyea, the husband of the younger sister of the Chief Justice, to go and ask her to sit on a holiday, contrary to court procedures.

 Forget about the fact Atta Akyea is a lawyer, and that it was within his profession to stand as counsel for the suffocating Akuffo Addo. I hope you have not soon forgotten Atta Akyea’s involvement in the plot to thwart the will of the electorates in favour of his uncle Akuffo Addo? Just as was expected, the Chief Justice side-stepped the laid-down procedures of the judiciary and allowed the courts to sit on the matter on a holiday, even though the preconditions for such an emergency were not met. 

Again, not only was it wrong for the courts to sit on a holiday, but the case involved did not have to be an ex-parte motion. In fact, but for timely uninvited arrival of the NDC lawyers at the courts, our worse fears would have been confirmed, since it was obvious the courts were bent on upholding the ex-parte motion to place an injunction on the Electoral Commissioner from declaring Atta Mills the winner.

We all know the kind of tension this situation woul d have brewed in Ghana. And to think the Chief Justice, appointed by the NPP administration, was openly biased against the NDC, don’t you think she compromised her position, by allowing the courts to sit on a holiday, and to allow an ex-parte to be filed against the EC and Uncle Atta? Also, remember when the issue of illegal acquisition of state lands came up? Yes remember the name of the Chief Justice came up as one of the beneficiaries? Now tell me, should the wrangling between the government and those who purchased the lands end up in court, how do you expect the Chief Justice to sit on top of the Judiciary whilst her case is pending in court? Don’t you think the judges, who are her subordinates, might be biased in her favour? Last week, she exhibited yet again, another shameful bias against the Mills administration, when she and her outfit entertained a silly writ by stinking-mouth Kabila, a drunkard par excellence! Yes, she compromised her position, in a bid to help the NPP thwart Uncle Atta’s STX deal. That is the extent to which the CJ can go please political godfathers.

You might wonder whether the CJ didn’t know it was wrong to obstruct the work of the august house, knowing very well that members were on the floor of the house, debating on the very issue the writ was about. You might also wonder what happened to the principle of separation powers! But that is Georgina Woode for you! Lastly, to think she was the Chairman of the commission that looked into the MV Benjamin cocaine case, two things come to mind. In the first place, she was not able to unravel the mystery behind the missing 77 parcels of cocaine. Second, she got it wrong when she penciled in some persons for prosecution, but who have had their sentences overturned.

This goes to question her competence, as it is evident she contributed to the jailing of innocent persons, and how can such a person be the head of our justice system? Besides, with her involvement with the NPP and open bias against Uncle Atta in the heat of the election declaration, are you surprised the Attorney General has been losing all her cases? I hope Uncle Atta is listening. I shall be back!

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