Judicial scandal: Disciplinary Committee adjourns sitting to Sept 25

The Disciplinary Committee sitting on the judicial bribery scandal has adjourned to September 25 pending an interlocutory injunction filed by some of the judges and magistrates cited in the audio-visual recording.

The five-member Committee was constituted to investigate the petition against the 22 judges and magistrates and it was chaired by a justice of the Supreme Court.

The Committee adjourned sitting because the Fast Track High Court would be hearing the injunction application on September 22.

The indicted judges and magistrates implicated in the corruption tape filed a motion on notice for an interlocutory order of injunction restraining the Judicial Council from continuing with the proceedings.

The order filed at the Fast Track High Court is seeking to restrain the defendant (Judicial Council), whether it acts by itself or through the Committee instituted by the defendant.

A writ of summons issued by Charles K. Bentum, an Accra Lawyer on behalf of the 14 plaintiffs said that any proceedings for the removal of those persons for any stated misbehavior were regulated by Acts (C.A 10) and L.I 319.

The plaintiffs said even though the 1992 constitution empowered the Chief Justice and the Judicial Council to remove persons holding judicial offices on certain specific grounds including misbehavior, such removal must be in accordance with due process.

Mr Bentum said his clients were happy with the decision of the Committee to allow the court to hear the injunction application heard.

Anas was in Court to testify and be cross-examined by the counsel for the accused judges, but could not go ahead due to the decision of the Committee.

Source: GNA