Mining company, CSO condemn attack on judge who disclosed alleged attempts by chief to influence his decision

A Justice of the High Court in Bolgatanga, Alexander Graham, has come under threat after disclosing attempts by the Paramount Chief of Talensi, Tongraan Kugbilsong Nanlebegtang, to allegedly influence his decision on some mining-related cases brought before his court.

On Friday, 10 March 2023, two persons, the Chief of Baare, Naab Nyakora Mantii, and Richard Sunday Yinbil, Secretary to the Paramount Chief of Tongo Traditional area, were convicted by the Bolgatanga High Court 2 over attempts to influence a ruling on a mining-related case.

The court ruled that the two met Justice Graham in his chamber and acted in a way that could influence the ruling of the mining-related case that the judge was superintending.

The two accused were asked to sign a six-months bond to be of good behaviour.

The Judge who’s currently out of the region according to reports, was attacked by unknown assailants at his residence on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, barely a week after the Paramount Chief’s secret plotters were convicted.

Reacting to the reports, a mining company and a civil society organisation in the Upper East Region expressed disappointments at the attack on the judge and called on the relevant authorities to protect him.

The Managing Director of Yeyenya Mining Group in the Talensi District, Charles T. Ndanbon, noted he suffered a similar fate at the hands of supposed “influencers.”

“Yenyeya Mining Enterprise has suffered a lot at the hands of these so-called influential personalities in the system, to the extent of forcing me to hand over my business to the Chinese and I stood firm by saying a big no because such cannot happen even in China.

“How can I hand over my business to those I brought into the country to render a mining support service to my business?” he quizzed.

He, therefore, called on the authorities to ensure protection for the judge over his bravery.

“I am confident that with a brave and sincere judge such as Justice Alexander Graham, people like us without influence and strong connection will see justice in our law court. Let me also join the good reasoning people of the Upper East Region who are very saddened by the unfortunate incident, the attack at the residence of Justice Alexander Graham on Wednesday night leading to his being escorted out of the region by the security,” The Managing Director of Yeyenya Mining Group stressed.

For his part, the Regional Chairman of BONABOTO, a civil society organisation, Dr E. Agurgo Balfour who also condemned the attack on the judge said “We unequivocally condemn without reservations such barbaric acts in this era and call on the Ghana Police Service and other relevant security agencies to set sail their investigative machinery to identify the perpetrators of such dastardly act of cowardice and to bring them to book as soon as possible.

“There cannot be room and space to embolden savagery in this day and age. While we trust the security agencies to do their job, BONABOTO advises responsible and decorous reportage that is devoid of speculative conclusions on the matter,” he said.

Dr E. Agurgo Balfour also called on residents of the area to use appropriate means to resolve disputes instead of taking the laws into their own hands.

“Every citizen of our dear country, Ghana, has the right to live and carry out their duties and responsibilities fairly and freely without fear or favour.

“Where there might be disagreements between parties, BONABOTO strongly frowns on taking the law into one’s own hands and encourage the use of civilised and legitimate means to resolving disputes and discontents,” he said.

Meanwhile, anti-corruption group National Patriots against Injustice and Corruption Ghana (NAPAIC-Ghana) have said Justice Graham had demonstrated that the laws of Ghana are supreme.

Source: classfmonline.com