One of the court clerks involved in the recent judicial scandal has taken full responsibility for the acts that implicated a High Court judge in the scandal who is currently on suspension.
The clerk, Robert Kofi Kyere, has written two separate letters to the Chief Justice and Mr Justice Gilbert Ayisi Addo, the implicated judge, in his (Kyere’s) attempt to exonerate the judge from any wrongdoing.
In a letter dated April 20, 2016 and addressed to the Chief Justice, Kyere said Mr Justice Addo was innocent.
He, accordingly, pleaded for forgiveness for all the troubles he had put Mr Justice Addo through.
“I never thought things would get this far. I am also asking for forgiveness from the Judicial Service,” Kyere further said.
The scandal
Mr Justice Addo is among 34 judges and magistrates implicated in the scandal which broke in September 2015 after a two-year investigation by ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
More than 100 members of staff of the Judicial Service were implicated in the scandal.
Majority of the judges, magistrates and court clerks involved have been relieved of their duties, but Mr Justice Addo is currently on suspension, awaiting the outcome of a suit he has filed to challenge petitioners calling for his removal from office.
Latest development
But in what appears to be a twist of events, Kyere is seeking to place on record that Mr Justice Addo committed no wrong and must, therefore, be given the opportunity to serve again.
In another letter dated May 26, 2016 and addressed to Mr Justice Addo, Kyere stated: “It is with a heavy heart that I am writing this letter. Sir, I have wronged you but please find a place in your heart to forgive me.
“I do not know your current address and so I decided to send this letter through my brother to look for you at Nkrabeah and Associates in Accra.
“Please, I do not even know how to begin. Ever since you were implicated in the bribery case, I have been very disturbed because I know you are innocent.
“My conscience has been full of guilt. Now I cannot bear it any longer. I have, therefore, written to the Chief Justice on April 20, 2016 to set the record straight.”
Kyere set out to narrate what transpired on the day he (Kyere) led a member of the Tiger Eye PI team that went to Mr Justice Addo’s house in their bid to bribe him to influence a case before him.
According to him, he secretly took the GHC500 the official of the Tiger Eye PI team left behind after Mr Justice Addo had stormed out of the living room and called him (Kyere) privately to warn him to leave his house with the bribe giver.
‘Please forgive me’
“My Lord, on the day I brought Ishmael to your house, you got angry and went upstairs to your bedroom. When you called my name and met me on the staircase afterwards, you wanted me to go away with Ishmael from your house, as you were not interested in any ‘pure water’ money.
“I did not listen to your advice. When I left you and went back to the hall, I told Ishmael that you said we should go. When I realised that he was not watching, I picked up the money, which was only GHC500.
“I thought that later when you were in a better mood I could give it to you. My Lord, I only heard later that you had suddenly travelled to Malta.
“I made use of the GHC500 when I was told that you would not return to Tamale,” Kyere wrote.
‘I was afraid’
According to Kyere, he was afraid to come out to speak the truth when the Anas issue broke.
“Now I cannot bear it any longer. You are an innocent person. Please, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, forgive me for the shame and the embarrassment I have caused you.
“I have written to the Chief Justice that you are innocent. I have also asked for forgiveness from the Judicial Service. Please take me as your junior brother who has wronged you,” the letter said.
When the Daily Graphic called a Vodafone cellular phone number beneath Kyere’s letter to find out why he had made the U-turn and whether or not he knew the implications of his confessions, the phone was off.
Reinstate me
Following Kyere’s confession, Mr Justice Addo has petitioned the Office of the President to review his case, recall him from suspension and reinstate him accordingly.
The letter, dated June 22, 2016 and signed by Mr Justice Addo, said: “I am kindly petitioning your esteemed office for my reinstatement into office as a High Court judge.
“I have received with tremendous shock and anger a letter from Robert Kofi Kyere, a former court clerk of the High Court Two, Tamale, which completely exonerates me of any involvement in the alleged bribery scandal.”
Mr Justice Addo, who has sent a similar letter to the Chief Justice’s office, argued that Kyere’s confession was a clear indication of his insistence that he was innocent.
“Since joining the Bench in 2008, I have worked and given of my best to this noble profession. I have, therefore, endured the past nine months in great pain and stress. I am still in shock,” he stated.
He prayed the Office of the President to do justice to his case, since he was innocent of any allegation against him.
