Bribery Scandal: Chief Justice Breaks Silence Over US$5million Bribery allegation On His Neck

The Chief Justice (CJ) of Ghana Judicial Service, His Lordship Kwasi Anin-Yeboah has broken silence about the wide circulated allegations made against him by lawyer Akwasi Afrifa.

The Chief Justice is the subject of a bribery allegation, levelled against him by Lawyer Kwasi Afrifa who has been dragged before the General Legal Council (GLC) by Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta VI.

Afrifa in a written response to the GLC made quite a number of allegations against the Chief Justice and Lawyer Akoto Ampaw.

“At the end of July 2020, the Petitioner informed me that friends of his who were highly connected politically had taken him to see the Chief Justice who had agreed to help him win his case on condition that he drops my good self as the lawyer handling the case for him and engage Akoto Ampaw Esq in my stead,” Kwasi Afrifa said.

“He further informed me that the Chief Justice had demanded a bribe of US$5,000,000 for a successful outcome to his case and that he had already paid US$500,000 to the Chief Justice. 

He further indicated that he was hard-pressed to raise the remainder of the US$5,000,000 and so I should refund some of the GH¢300,000 paid me as fees because he had in line with the advice of the Chief Justice, engaged Akoto Ampaw Esq as solicitor to continue the case before the Supreme Court,” he added.

These claims have been outrightly rubbished by the Chief Justice and Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta VI.

In separate statements, the two figures said that the allegations are without any iota of truth and must be rejected.

In a letter copied to Soireenews from the office of Chief Justice, it noted that Chief Justice had referred the issue to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service and the Disciplinary Committee of the GLC.

The letter which was copied to the President, Ghana Bar Association stated that “His Lordship the Chief Justice is saddened that without any shred of evidence, his name has been dragged into this sordid and potentially criminal matter.

His Lordship confirms that he does not know the plaintiff and has not met or seen him anywhere, except in the courtroom when he rises to announce his name when his case is called. His Lordship asserts that he has had no personal interaction either with the plaintiff or his lawyer on this matter or in any other matter. 

His Lordship further asserts that he has not demanded or received any money from any person to influence any decision in this matter or any other matter.

Indeed, the records show that the plaintiff unsuccessfully petitioned for the recusal of His  Lordship the Chief Justice and His Lordship Justice Victor Jones Mawulom Dotse from the matter, on a claim that they were prejudiced against him.

The records further showed that the Chief Justice was the only Judge on a panel who recently on 31st March 2021 dissented in an application at the instance of the plaintiff Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta IV in favour of the respondent, Ghana Telecommunications Co. Ltd.

To ensure that this matter is fully investigated, the letter noted that His Lordship has directed that a formal complaint be made to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service for investigations and any necessary action.

He has further directed that a Petition be lodged with the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council in respect of this specific matter.

His Lordship is available to assist with all investigations into this matter, while he considers his own civil legal options to ensure that this matter is dealt with to its logical conclusions.

Ogyeedom on the other hand said, “I unequivocally deny all allegations of intended bribery or actual bribery against any judge including the Chief Justice whom I have never met or known personally apart from seeing him in distance from the bench,” the rejoinder said in part.

“I have since applied for a copy of the said response to my petition against Lawyer Afrifa in which those fabrications and allegations are said to be contained and will appropriately react to the General Legal Council upon receipt of same.”