Two High Court judges who were “sacked” following the judicial bribery and corruption scandal have dragged undercover investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas before an Accra High Court.
This time round, the embattled plaintiffs-Justices Paul Uuter Dery and Mustapha Habib Logoh, are up in arms against Anas for winning the coveted Overall Best Journalist of the Year, 2015 Award as a result of his exposé.
Anas was adjudged the Overall Best Journalist at the 21st awards of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), taking home a brand new Hyundai SUV.
Justice Dery reportedly petitioned the GJA to revoke the award because in his view, Anas’ judicial corruption piece that won him the award was before court.
Parties
The two senior judges also sued eight others namely- the GJA, Roland Affail Monney, GJA President, Mathias Tibu, GJA Vice President and Dave Agbenu, GJA General Secretary.
The others are Rogking Clottey GJA, Organising Secretary, Linda Asante, Treasurer, and Mary Mensah, Public Relations Officer and staff of the Graphic Communications Group Limited.
Judges
The ace investigative journalist shocked the country after he released video reportedly capturing over 21 Circuit Court judges and Magistrate and 12 superior court judges at the High Courts taking bribes in order to give judgements in favour of those who had offered them.
The two had previously filed separate writs at the High Court challenging the legality of the impeachment proceedings initiated against them by the Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood.
Statement of Claim
The plaintiffs, in the writ filed by their lawyer, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo, among others, stated that in spite of knowledge of the relentless unconstitutional conduct of the Anas and his so-called company, Tiger Eye PI, the GJA on 27th August, 2016, at the 21st Awards ceremony gave the coveted prize to Anas.
The plaintiffs said that the award undermines the spirit and letter of the 1992 Constitution, particularly Articles 3 (3) (a); 3 (4) (a); 41 (b); and 162 (5) thereof and thus null and void.
According to the two judges, the award is meant to endorse and glorify the unconstitutional conduct of Anas which is inconsistent with or in contravention of the aforementioned provisions of the 1992 Constitution and its spirit.
Nii Kpakpo was emphatic that the conduct of the GJA and its executives is tantamount to prejudicing the outcome of the cases of the plaintiffs against Tiger Eye PI and two others at the Supreme Court with Suit Number J1/9/2016, as well as other cases at the High Court.
In the view of the plaintiffs, the conduct of the GJA and it executives amounts to contempt of court in accordance with Article 19 (12) and 126 (2) of the Constitution, adding that “the Award given to the 1st Defendant (Anas) when the Supreme Court recently on 4th February, 2016 pronounced the 1st Defendant and his so called company, Tiger Eye PI’s conduct as unconstitutional, is meant to spite the Supreme Court.”
Reliefs
As a result, the plaintiffs are asking the court for a declaration that the conduct of GJA on 27th August, 2016 at its awards ceremony is inconsistent with or in contravention of Article 3 (3) (a) and 3 (4) (a) of the 1992 Constitution and thus unconstitutional.
The duo also wants a declaration that the conduct of Anas is inconsistent with or in contravention of Article 41 (b) and (d) of the 1992 Constitution and thus unconstitutional.
The judges are also seeking an order nullifying the award the GJA gave to Anas, pursuant to Article 1 (2) of the 1992 Constitution, as well as an order directed at the Association to withdraw the award from Anas.
The two prayed the court for an order to punish the Executive Committee Members of the GJA for contempt of court.
By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson
jeffdegraft44@yahoo.com