A U.S domiciled Ghanaian Law Professor; Kwaku Asare says attempts by any person to restrain ace investigative Journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas from publicly screening of a video that has established the complicity 34 judges neck deep in corrupt practices in the discharge of their duties, will amount to censorship.
One of the High Court judges cited in the judicial bribery scandal has fired the first salvo demanding a litany of reliefs.
Justice Paul Uuter Dery is one of 12 High Court captured on video allegedly receiving bribes from undercover journalists posing as family and friends of suspects and litigants.
The conduct of the judges has become the subject of an inquiry by the Judicial Council with impeachment lurking around the corner.
In a writ filed at the Fast Track Division of the High Court, Justice Dery is seeking a total of 17 reliefs, topmost being “A declaration that the 1st Defendant (Tiger Eye PI) obtained the contents of the audio-visual recording unlawfully.”
Additionally “An order restraining the 1st Defendant, its privies and assigns from carrying out their intended public screening of the said illegally and unlawfully procured audiovisual recordings at the Accra International Conference Centre on the 22nd and 23rd of September, 2015”.
However speaking to Kwaku Owusu Adjei on Si Mi So on Kasapa 102.3 FM, Prof Kwaku Asare stated that whoever blocks the public screening of the video will be in gross contravention of the constitution since the country’s laws disallow censorship.
“Our laws prohibit censorship; in my view restraining the airing of the video will amount to the highest order of censorship. Article 162(2) expressly states that “Subject to this Constitution and any other law not inconsistent with this Constitution, there shall be no censorship in Ghana”. So I wonder why anyone will want to censure the video. No court should grant this wish. Even in the unlikely situation that the screening is outlawed here in Ghana, I’m sure by now a copy of this video is in the possession of someone outside Ghana. That person can easily put it on youtube, and that individual cannot be stopped”.
Prof Asare further pushed for the public airing of the video as that will afford everyone the opportunity of knowing the extent of corruption in the Judiciary which will cause a concerted effort to fight the canker.
