Anas needs police protection - Vitus Azeem alerts

Executive Director of Ghana Integrity Initiative, Mr. Vitus Azeem has called on the state to provide adequate security for investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas to ensure his safety.

He recommended that providing Anas with security would ensure that he is not physically attacked or harmed by persons aggrieved by his latest exposé.

The undercover journalist captured on video 34 judges allegedly accepting bribes to influence their judgement. The judicial scandal has unruffled feathers with the Chief Justice promising to swiftly and decisively deal with those involved .

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has described the scandal as abominable which should “cause all in the legal and judicial professions to hang their heads in shame”.

The Attorney General has granted immunity to Anas and his company Tiger Eye PI from prosecution and any civil action. The grant of immunity to Anas is per Section 19 of the Whistleblowers’ Act (Act 720).

Vitus Azeem told Joy News’ Editor Dzifa Bampoh on Monday that the immunity is not enough.

“The immunity would not prevent him from being physically attacked,” he explained.

He said the massive corruption exposed by the Anas affects family and people's livelihood therefore “he may need some protection”.

The anti-corruption campaigner said his outfit has no evidence or suspicion but its concern is for Anas to be on a safe side. The police can provide Anas with a number that he can call when under attack, Vitus Azeem suggested.

Mr. Azeem has also asked political parties to desist from commenting and politicising the judicial scandal.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition said it finds the preliminary issues emanating from Anas’ work very worrying especially because the matter borders on the integrity of the judiciary.

Below is a statement from the Coalition
GACC COMMENDS ANAS FOR HIS BOLD STANCE AGAINST CORRUPTION AND THROWS ITS WEIGHT BEHIND HIM AND HIS TEAM AT EXPOSING CORRUPTION IN THE JUDICIARY

The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has followed with keen interest the proceedings and public discourse surrounding the two-year investigative work by Mr. Anas Aremeyaw Anas and the Tiger Eye team titled ‘Ghana in the Eyes of God – Epic of Injustice ”. The Coalition, having been privileged to be briefed on the matter by Mr. Anas Aremeyaw Anas, finds the preliminary issues emanating from his work very worrying especially because the matter borders on the integrity of the judiciary, one of the most important and respected institutions in our fight against corruption.

It is important to note that acts of corruption are conducted in secrecy and therefore any effort aimed at documenting empirical evidence that bridges the gap between the perception and the reality of corruption is a tremendous contribution to stemming the tide against the canker.

It is in this light that, GACC commends the unrelenting efforts by Mr. Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye team for their continuous expose´ of corruption in key sectors of the Ghanaian society over the years.

GACC also commends the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Georgina Theodora Wood, and the Judicial Council for initiating investigations into the matter and already taking disciplinary actions against the implicated judges. We urge that the prompt attention given to the expose´ so far should be sustained until the case is finally resolved and those found culpable made to face the full riqour of the law.

GACC maintains strongly that the integrity of the investigations is very critical and therefore, calls on all stakeholders; government, political parties and politicians, religious and traditional leaders, development partners, international community and the general public to immediately curtail attempts at stopping the airing of the video and/or influencing the due process in any way.

GACC also calls on:

1. Government and the security agencies to immediately ensure that the safety and security of Anas and His Team, as well as all other individuals involved and their families is assured;
2. Traditional and religious leaders to desist from intervening in any way in this matter, including putting pressure on Anas and his team not to air the video;

1. Politicians and their political parties to desist from politicizing this matter as corruption has no partisan colours;

1. The media to commit to unprejudiced and dispassionate reportage that seeks only to inform and educate the citizenry appropriately on the matter;

1. The citizens to support all efforts in demanding transparent and accountable governance for improved development.

Finally, we wish to remind public office holders about their obligations to exhibit the highest standard of professionalism and integrity in the conduct of their duties.

Once again, we applaud the efforts of Mr. Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his team and call on all Ghanaians to emulate their example or at least report corruption as the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) approved by Parliament enjoins all citizens to do.

SGND

1. Nana Osei-Bonsu – Chairman, GACC and Chief Executive Officer, Private Enterprise Federation
2. Mr. Richard Quayson – Vice-Chairman, GACC and Ag. Commissioner, Commission on Human Rights & Administrative Justice (CHRAJ)
3. Mr. Affail Monney - Member, GACC and President, Ghana Journalists Association (GJA)
4. Mrs. Jean Mensa – Member, GACC and Executive Director, Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA)
5. Mr. Justice Tsar – Member, GACC and Ag. Executive Director, Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO)
6. Prof. Emmanuel Gyimah Boadi – Member, GACC and Executive Director, Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana)
7. Mr. Vitus Azeem – Member, GACC and Executive Director, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII)
8. Mrs. Linda Ofori-Kwafo - Executive Secretary, GACC