CHRAJ suspends M&J probe indefinitely

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has suspended indefinitely its investigations into the Mabey & Johnson scandal.

A terse statement from CHRAJ announced the suspension of proceedings late Thursday morning.

Officials of CHRAJ will not readily explain the reasons for the suspension.

The move follows a wave of objections which compelled the commission to adjourn ruling on whether it could investigate the matter pending a High Court suit which challenged its jurisdiction.

Lawyers for all the former ministers being investigated, except Dr Sipa Yankey, have raised objections to the process.

Last week the lawyers filed an application prohibiting CHRAJ Commissioner Justice Emile Short from presiding over the public hearing for what they called his prejudicial comments on the investigations.

CHRAJ, which has the mandate to investigate public officials on matters of corruption and abuse of office, has been sitting on the case for months now after several ex-public officers were mentioned as having taken bribes from the UK construction firm Mabey & Johnson between 1993 and 2006.

Details soon.