One of the lower court judges named in the Anas Aremeyaw Anas corruption scandal is challenging his removal from office.
Samuel Ahiabor is part of 20 lower court judges who were sanctioned following a probe by a committee set up by Chief Justice, Georgina Wood.
In a letter stating his misconduct, the former Adidome District Magistrate, Samuel Ahiabor is accused of receiving GHC600 from a petitioner.
According to the document, this was to influence him to cause the arrest of a man who allegedly defrauded the said petitioner
Mr Ahiabor however says the Committees’ decision to remove him from office is a breach of his rights.
First he says he never collected, received or accepted any money although the evidence presented by Anas shows him taking the money.
Mr Ahiabor adds that, aside Anas Aremeyaw Anas, he never had the opportunity to cross examine the petitioner who purportedly bribed him at any of the disciplinary committee sittings
The former Adidome magistrate also maintains that since the matter of bribery allegation did not concern a case pending before him, he cannot be said to have misconducted himself.
Mr Samuel Ahiabor is therefore asking the high court to quash the committees verdict as quote, ‘’the decision is contrary to law, rules of natural justice and the 1992 constitution.’’
So far, 20 Magistrates and Circuit Court judges implicated in the judicial corruption scandal have been sacked.
The judges, who were part of the 32 implicated in the exposé done by ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, were dismissed for violating provisions of the 1992 Constitution, according to the Committee set up to investigate Anas’s claims.
Some of them have been sacked with benefits while others got dismissed without their benefits.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
