Justice Anin Yeboah
The Council of State has strongly advised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to dismiss petition from Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) seeking for the removal of the Chief Justice, Justice Anin Yeboah on the grounds of stated misbehaviour by describing the petition as waste of time.
According to Council of State, the petition is full of frivolous and vexatious allegations with no legal basis.
It firmly concluded on its letter dated August 20, 2021 presented to the President that the ASEPA petition does not meet prima facie standard envisage under Article 146 (6) of the Constitution and must be dismissed in limine.
It would be recalled that ASEPA petitioned the President in July 13, 2021 to commence an impeachment process against Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, following bribery allegations made against him by a Kumasi-based lawyer, Akwasi Afrifa.
The bribery allegations against the Chief Justice were contained in a response Mr. Akwasi Afrifa, a lawyer, gave in a petition filed against him by his client, Ogyeedom Kwesi Atta IV at the disciplinary committee of the General Legal Council.
Ogyeedom Kwesi Atta dragged Mr. Afrifa to the GLC, alleging that the lawyer collected $100,000 from him with a promise to help get a favourable judgement on his behalf.
Ogyeedom Atta asked the Council to order Mr. Afrifa to refund the $100,000, saying the lawyer failed to deliver on his promise.
In a response dated July 8, 2021, Mr. Afrifa denied the claims by Ogyeedom Kwesi Atta IV, alleging that he was asked to refund $300,000 in legal fees to enable his client to raise a $5 million bribe to be paid to the Chief Justice to get a favourable decision in the legal dispute.
Justice Anin-Yeboah has already denied the bribery allegations made against him and referred the case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Police.
The President subsequently referred the petition to the Council of State.
The Council on Friday, August 20, 2021, presented its report to the President.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, after studying the report dismissed the petition stating that it lacks merit and evidence but full of third hand and fourth hand hearsay.
“It is correct to say that the petitioner does not possess any personal knowledge of any of the matter that the petitioner advances as the foundation of the petition.
“To entertain further proceedings on third hand and fourth hand hearsay, as the petition is replete with, will violate legally acceptable standards of fairness and weaken the efficacy of the top echelon of the Judiciary,” he said.
By Vincent Kubi