ACCRA OCTOBER 9, 2015 (CISA) – “It is not the first time that this eminent son of the soil has brought the nation’s attention to the prevalence of deep-seated bribery and corruption in her public and social life but, by far, this is one report that has woken all of us from our slumber and one that will be spoken about in the years to come,” said the bishops of Ghana in a statement on the recent exposé of alleged massive corruption in the judiciary in the country.
At least 29 judges have been sacked or suspended after a journalistic investigation conducted by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas highlighted that some judges accept bribes, Reported Fides.
“We believe that this alleged scandal has generated all the attention it has generated because it involves the third arm of Government and the very foundation upon which the nation and for that matter every civilized nation in the world is built, that is the rule of law,” added the Bishops.
The Bishops encourage police authorities and also the media to continue to shed light on the issue.
“We assure you of our prayers. We are pleased with the assurances by the Ghana Police Service that they are giving the necessary protection and security to Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his team and pray that the same protection and security will be extended to their families and close relatives”.
The local bishops have denounced in the recent past rampant corruption as a threat to the nation.
This statement came after 22 circuit judges and magistrates were suspended, and 12 high court judges were placed under investigation, after they were accused of being bought off.
Some of the judges accused of wrongdoing have challenged the charges in court, saying their suspension had no legal basis because documents relating to the video that were submitted by the journalist were not made available to them.
Many of the cases against the judges and magistrates were outlined in a documentary film. Hundreds of Ghanaians flocked to watch a September 22 public screening in Accra of the incriminating footage shot by the journalist.
