Some 14 circuit court judges and magistrates have stormed the Supreme Court seeking to stop disciplinary process against them.
The 14 of the 22 judges say the action by the Chief Justice Georgina Wood is unlawful and without due process.
The Chief Justice Georgina Wood had set up a five-member disciplinary committee to investigate bribery allegations against some 22 circuit court judges and magistrates.
The committee is chaired by Supreme Court Judge Justice Sophia Adinyira.
Justice Sophia Adinyira
Other members of the committee are the president’s representative Victor Gbeho, Director of Legal Affairs at the Ghana Armed Forces Col. Gyekye Asante, former President of the Ghana Bar Association, Joe Becham and a representative from the Attorney-General’s Department.
The alleged conduct of the judges was captured in a three-hour video compiled by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
Represented by Charles Kwesi Bentum, the judges are seeking a declaration from the Supreme Court that the action breaches the law.
They say they were not given enough time to respond after they were served letters of suspension on 8th September and asked to respond the same day. The letter was dated 4th September.
“… In so far as the power to conduct disciplinary proceedings against the plaintiffs is by law vested in a judge of the High Court or some judicial officer appointed for the purpose by the Chief Justice, the current disciplinary committee is bereft of jurisdiction to investigate the plaintiffs” the writ stated.
