The Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana has brushed off claims that Supreme Court Judge, Justice Clemence Honyenuga, who is hearing the trial of the embattled former CEO of COCOBOD, Dr. Stephen Opuni has been bribed to jail him.
Dr. Opuni and Agricult Ghana Limited CEO, Seidu Agongo, are standing trial together with Agricult Ghana Limited for allegedly causing the state to lose over GHS 217 million in a cocoa fertilizer transaction.
Dr. Opuni and Mr. Agongo are facing 27 charges including defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, corruption by public officers, and contravention of the Public Procurement Act.
In recent weeks, social media has been awash with rumours that the Supreme Court Judge has received some two cars from the presidency to influence his judgment on the matter.
However, addressing the media at a press conference in Accra, the Association President, Justice Henry Kwofie, described the allegations as malicious and unfounded
“This allegation, which is being thrown around all over the place especially on social media, we find extremely malicious, unfounded, and we see it as a deliberate attempt to cause disaffection for Justice Honyenuga, to His Lordship, the Chief Justice, and the judiciary in general, and we take a strong exception, and we also see it as an attempt to scandalize the judiciary, and we take a strong exception to it.”
“Among these seven judges who were allocated the vehicles was Justice Honyenuga, who was appointed to the Supreme Court by His Excellency the President on May 22, 2020.
“Thirteen of the Toyota Fortuner vehicles for High Court Judges have also arrived in Ghana and allocated to some High Court Judges.”
All the three Supreme Court Judges appointed in December 2019 and the four appointed on May 22, 2020, were allocated one Toyota Land cruiser vehicle and one Saloon car each as Duty Post vehicles.
The president explained “It is these vehicles allocated to Justice Honyenuga as Duty Post vehicles which is the source of the accusation that he has been given one SUV and a Saloon car to influence him to jail accused persons standing trial before him.
“The Association wishes to state that the allocation of Official/Duty Post vehicles to Justice Honyenuga or any Judge for that matter has nothing to do with any case or cases pending before them.”
Source: Elvis Andoh | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana