The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability, ASEPA, has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, CHRAJ, to investigate the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah, amid allegations that he was bribed with $5 million to influence the outcome of a court case.

In the letter to CHRAJ sighted by Citi News, ASEPA contends that the allegations have brought the “name of Judiciary into disrepute and cast a serious slur on justice administration in the country.”

ASEPA feels the alleged conduct of the Chief Justice, “if found to be true, is in serious violation of chapter 24 (Code of conduct for public Officers) and several other provisions in our law.”

“It is therefore important that CHRAJ investigates this matter in accordance with the law and recommend appropriate sanctions in respect of the outcome of the investigations to restore the battered image of the judiciary and any other injury this allegation might have caused,” the letter added.

The Chief Justice has already come out to deny the allegations and has also petitioned the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, to investigate the matter.

About the allegations

The allegations were contained in a response of a lawyer, Akwasi Afrifa, against a petition filed against him by his client at the disciplinary committee of the General Legal Council (GLC).

The client, Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta IV, 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 IV asked the GLC to order Mr. Afrifa to refund the $100,000, saying the lawyer failed to deliver on his promise

In a response dated July 8, Mr. Afrifa denied the claims by Ogyeedom Kwesi Atta IV, further alleging that he was asked to refund $300,000 in legal fees to enable his client to raise a $5million bribe to be paid to the Chief Justice to get a favourable decision in the legal dispute.