Despicable Cover-Up (1)

Leaked snippets from the Justice Apau judgment debt report appear to be corroborating the fear expressed by many that it was nothing but a journey into political vindictiveness and image destruction of opponents.

It was a tendentious action by those seeking to profit from a political mischief even before the document is officially released onto the public domain.

When the document already shredded into nothingness is officially circulated, many more Ghanaians would have another glimpse into jaundiced adjudication.

Contradictions in what should have been an important document on the vexed subject of judgment debt have rendered the culmination of a year-long proceedings almost useless and unworthy of future positive reference. As a case study in politicised adjudication, we will not hesitate to recommend these thoughts for research purposes.

It is regrettable that Justice Tanko Amadu, after a fantastic management of a complex case with massive political undertones, will have his judgement rubbished the way Justice Yaw Apau seeks to do.

With our limited understanding of legal matters, it is our take nonetheless that the trial judge did not err when under the circumstances he asked that the Attorney General pay Alfred Woyome the infamous judgement debt.

The undertaking which the trial judge set as a condition was ignored with the connivance of some top officials – fact which the Sole Commissioner was silent on in his report. So where did the trial err?

There was a mischievous selectiveness in the composition of the Sole Commissioner's report which exposes a moral shortcoming incommensurate with his status as a then Appeals Court Judge.

So what happened to the letter written by Ebo Barton-Odro, then deputy Attorney General, to the late President Mills dated 16^th December, 2011? The former Deputy Attorney General, now 1^st Deputy Speaker of Parliament, defended the payments to Alfred Woyome. Such a prominent fact could not have escaped the attention of Jusitce Apau.

Many questions beg for answers from Justice Apau, one of which is why he did not establish who authorised payment of the entire sum of GH¢51,283,480.59 in contravention of the orders of the trial judge – aberration which was later defended?

The political project also targeted the 2016 standard bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo. Unfortunately, the assignment has failed to meet the expectations of its sponsor, suffering congenital defects even before landing on its intended target, the underbelly of the Sole Commissioner exposed for public punching.

It is unfortunate that certain exalted positions are beginning to lose their age-long public deference and luster at the hands of some beneficiaries for who truth and fairness are anathema.

Nana Addo, even when he insisted on being invited to make an appearance before the Sole Commissioner, had his request declined only to be cited for causing a so-called financial loss to the state. What bunkum!

Barton-Odro, who said the state had no case – a position which occasioned a non-appearance of state lawyers and a subsequent loss of a whopping amount to the state – was spared the ire of the Sole Commissioner, not so others who did all they could to protect the public purse. God save us as our country lists badly on choppy waters.