Calling for Judicial Cleansing, Dr. Kwabena Adjei Turn Loose

Dr. Kwabena Adjei, Chairman of the incumbent National Democratic Congress, in a classic show of judicial intolerance apprised the Chief Justice Justice Georgina Wood to purge the bench of corrupt judges or the NDC would do it for her. In doing so, the chairman did not only usurp judicial authority, he undermined the independence of the judiciary reminiscent of the dark past of (P) NDC’s judicial condescension and intolerance for the due process of law.

More than 24 hours following Dr. Adjei’s egregious outburst, the government is yet to make up its mind as to where it stand on the matter. It makes you marvel if the party chairman was stating official government position. The tacit silence of the government ends up putting pressure on the judiciary and in all probability preempts the outcome of an appeal.

Maybe Dr.Adjei’s comments does not warrant arrest and prosecution, as trumpeted by the opposition NPP but clearly it cast aspersions on the integrity of the judicial system. Far from arresting Dr. Adjei, the government should repudiate his ill advised comments by demonstrating support for judicial freedom and independence either accepting the verdict or appeal it.

Corruption is the biggest deficit of our socio-economic development but the attempt to prosecute it should not lead to the creation of a pseudo judicial system. The AG’s department should be equipped with the essential resources to effectively prosecute coruption and all manner of crimes devoid of direct oversight from the political establishment.

Our courts must guarantee victory for justice. The court which tried Kwodwo Mpiani, former Chief of staff in the Kufuor administration and Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana at 50 Secretariat, sought justice. The court dealt with the facts as presented by both sides and the government had its day in court. However, if the party or the government finds fault with the process or suspect a mistrial, then it should use the avenues provided by law to address the perceived in consistencies.

The NDC under Dr. Kwabena Adjei has not fully embraced the rule of law. Meanwhile Ghanaians have moved on from the 80's. The NDC is yet stuck in its past struggling to cope in the present. Whatever possessed Dr. Kwabena Adjei, to lay claim to our judicial system, is not happenstance, his party the NDC has an inherent tendency to set aside the judicial system. Make no mistake of the fact; they did it once upon a time. The good chairman should be advised that there is no appetite in Ghana for his party’s ad hoc judicial orientation.