The leadership’s Release shows the extent to which they are politically affiliated and bias as Leaders of the Bar Association.

The leadership’s Release shows the extent to which they are politically affiliated and biased as Leaders of the Bar Association. Who in Ghana does not know that the GBA Leadership are so politically biased?. What are the core duties of the GBA?

Sadly, the leadership of the GBA which was established by the Constitution of Ghana and historically known to be the champions of Rule of Law, Accountability, and Social Justice has reduced itself to yet another useless institution of our democratic process these days and times.

Again, I have noted the lame attempt by the GBA Leadership to prepare the ground to construe my statements as Professional Misconduct Contrary to Rule 52 of L. I 2423. My statement as a whole speaking TRUTH to power become unethical and irresponsibility?

Let me also place on record that I am not unaware of Articles 144, 145, and 146 of the 1992 Constitution.

By those Articles, a judge can be removed from office for “ STATED MISBEHAVIOR”.

In my respective view, partisan judges have no business being on the bench. If you are a judge with sympathies towards NDC or NPP or CPP or any known political party in Ghana and you allow yourself to be influenced in any way for a political outcome, then you are not fit to be a judge.

In a press statement signed by Member of Parliament for Madina (MP) who doubles as Public Interest Lawyer and Deputy Ranking Member, Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Honourable Francis-Xavier Sosu Esq, has stated that becoming a political judge who allows him or herself to be influenced for political outcomes contrary to the law would amount to STATED MISBEHAVIOR.

Rule 6 of the Code of Conduct for Judges and Magistrates of the Judicial Service of Ghana Provides as follows: “A judge should refrain from political activity inappropriate to his judicial office”.

Any Judge who allows himself to become political is surely involved in an activity which is the Judicial Oath requires that judges bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Ghana as by law established and not to Political parties or appointees.

The Oath also requires that a judge upholds the sovereignty and integrity of the Republic of Ghana and truly and faithfully perform their functions without fear or favor, affection or ill-will and at all times uphold, preserve, protect and the political judge and allowing him or herself to be influenced clearly would have breached the judicial oath.

“Instead of joining the clarion call to stop our judges from becoming political judges to guarantee our democracy, the leadership of the GBA is needlessly attacking the voice of conscience”, it added.

Let me again say that the reference made by the leadership of the GBA to our recent history on the gruesome murder of three High Court judges concerning my statement is most unfortunate and an insensitive linkage”, it stressed.

According to Honourable Sosu as a Human Rights lawyer and a defender of the Rule of Law, he would be the last person to use politics to cause any form of harm to our judges. I revere those gallant martyrs of Rule of Law and respect their memory.

 However, this wicked and nefarious reference is yet another lame excuse by the leadership of the GBA to shield the judiciary from frank criticisms.

“The Judiciary must rather be guided by the said history to turn down all invidious invitations to become political judges who allow themselves to be influenced politically for political outcomes”, it explained.

Judges must stay out of politics to preserve the integrity of the judiciary and consolidate our democratic gains.

He concluded on the fact that he would continue to uphold and defend the 1992 Constitution without fear or favor.

“My duty as a lawyer to hold the Profession in high esteem does not include keeping quiet on critical matters that bother on bad governance practices, human rights abuses, and politicization of independent institutions of the state”, it mentioned.

“I owe it to the good people of Ghana and the good people of Madina who gave me a chance to serve them as their Member of Parliament”, he assured.

Background.

Honorable Sosu refers to your Press Release dated the 14th Day of February 2022 on the above subject.

It is a wonder to know that the Ghana Bar Association still exists in this country following your loud silence on critical matters of national concern which relate to the Bar, Legal Education, Mistreatment of Lawyers, lack of welfare for Lawyers, Human Rights abuses, Press freedom, and justice delivery among others in Ghana.

I reject the allegation of being unprofessional and irresponsible and would reiterate that the GBA is rather a monumental failure to our democracy and I take strong exceptions to the Statement of the leadership of the GBA.

A cursory look at the Objects of the GBA Constitution in Part 1, Section 2 clearly shows that the GBA has lost its focus and relevance long ago. Let me remind the GBA Leadership that it must maintain the Independence of the Judiciary.”

How can you achieve this object if judges allow themselves to be influenced politically? For the rest of the objects, I beg to leave it here else we wash our dirty linen in public.

Needless to say, let me be clear that I stand by my statement any day, any time.

The Statement was conditional and no amounts of twists and turns will extricate judicial officers and judges who would allow themselves to become agents of political partisan agenda.

Very respectfully, the leadership of the GBA has sought to create a false impression by their misguided release asserting that judges would lose their jobs when the party that appointed them loses power.

This rather reflects the leadership’s misunderstanding of the statement I made. My statement was clear “If you are a political judge, you will be dealt with politically... Judges owe a duty to the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and the laws of Ghana.

If a judge allows him or herself to become an agent of a Political party, the tenure of the said judge will run with the political parties they favor”.

This Statement must be the reality of every Ghanaian who believes in rule of law and fidelity to the Coats of Arm, the 1992 Constitution, and the Judicial Oath taken by judges.

Sadly, the leadership of the GBA which was established by the Constitution of Ghana and historically known to be the champions of Rule of Law, Accountability, and Social Justice has reduced itself to yet another useless institution of our democratic process these days and times.