Lawyer clashes with judge over Abodakpi

Lawyer Tony Lithur, counsel for Mr. Dan Abodapki, the incarcerated Member of Parliament for Keta has accused an Appeal Court judge of influencing the 10-year-jail term handed the MP.

Justice Henrietta Abban, one of three judges hearing an appeal of Abodakpi's trial, is being accused of influencing the sentence of the trial judge, Justice S.T. Farkye via a phone call.

Mr. Lithur told the court on Tuesday that while Justice S.T. Farkye was in the middle of delivering his judgement on February 5, 2007, he received a phone call and therefore retired into his chamber before returning to complete his delivery.

The lawyer said he has evidence to prove it was Justice Henrietta Abban who placed that call and that whatever conversation she had with the trial judge had a direct impact on the sentencing.

In effect, Tony Lithur told the Court Justice Henrietta Abban could not be a member of the panel to hear the appeal and must therefore withdraw or face a mini-trial for her to clear herself.
But Justice Henrietta Abban, who categorically denied having anything to do with Justice Farkye's judgement, said she would prefer to face the mini-trial to clear her name and to offer the accusing lawyer the opportunity to produce the said evidence.
Justice Farkye was not in the courtroom.
The court sitting on Tuesday was to begin hearing of an appeal against Abodakpi's incarceration.

The chairman of the panel therefore adjourned the case indefinitely to enable Tony Lithur to put the case properly before the Chief Justice for redress, explaining that the allegations against her colleague were very serious and needed to be dealt with thoroughly.

Justice S. T. Farkye, sitting at the Fast Track Court, handed Abodakpi the 10-year jail term after finding him guilty of willfully causing financial loss of $400,000 to the State.

Mr. Abodakpi, a former Trade Minister, stood trial with the late Victor Selormey, also a deputy Minister of Finance on the counts of conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretences and willfully causing a total loss of ¢2.73 billion to the State.

The fraud was said to have been committed when Abodakpi and the late Victor Selormey co-chaired a Trade and Investment Programme (TIP).

The two were said to have caused the transfer of $400,000 during Abodakpi's tenure in office as Minister from a TIP interest account lodged with ECOBANK Ghana Limited into the personal account of the project consultant, Dr. Frederick Boadu.

The amount was in respect of a feasibility study for the establishment of a Science and Technology Community Park/Valley Project which was meant to enhance the export of non-traditional products.