Judicial scandal: Judge sues Anas; says video is ‘unlawful’

One of the 12 High Court judges who has been implicated in the latest investigative piece by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has filed a suit against him.

Justice Paul Derry is among those allegedly caught on camera receiving bribes in the three-hour video produced over a period of two years.

The judge is seeking 17 reliefs at the Accra Fast Track High Court, key among them being “A declaration that the 1st Defendant (Tiger Eye PI) obtained the contents of the audio-visual recording unlawfully.

Justice Dery, who filed the suit on Monday September 14, becomes the first suspect in the brouhaha to have formally taken a legal action against Anas’ work.

The Attorney General and the Chief Justice were also sued as defendants in the suit.

The writ is further seeking the following reliefs;

“A declaration that the intended public screening of the contents of the audio-visual recordings to the public by the 1st Defendant is prejudicial to the Plaintiff’s right to a fair hearing.

“A declaration that the 1st Defendant’s act of secretly recording private discussions with the Plaintiff constituted a violation of the Plaintiff’s right to privacy;

“A declaration that any purported immunity granted by the 3rd Defendant (Attorney-General) to the 1st Defendant, its Chief Executive Officer, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, its privies, agents and assigns is unlawful and of no effect;

“A declaration that the 2nd Defendant (Chief Justice), her privies, agents, assigns and successors cannot rely on the contents of the illegally or unlawfully procured audio-visual recordings;

“A declaration that the 2nd Defendant (Chief Justice) cannot arrive at a fair determination as to whether a prima facie case has been established against the Plaintiff by relying on the content of the Petition filed by the 1st Defendant;

The Chief Justice and the judicial Council are currently looking into the video evidence submitted by Anas and his team.

So far, 22 magistrates and judges who were implicated have been suspended by the Judicial Council.

Meanwhile the Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Woode, is expecting responses from the 12 High Court judges including Justice Dery for their alleged roles in the scandal.

Unlike the lower court judges, the Chief Justice will have to make recommendations to President Mahama, after establishing a prima facie case against the high court judges.

In a statement signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Alex Poku-Acheampong, the Chief Justice clarified that two of the judges Justice Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Mustapha and Justice Yaw Ansu-Gyeabuor have retired and that has been communicated to the President.

– See more at: http://citifmonline.com/