JJ speaks on CJ probe saga

The founder of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Jerry Rawlings says President Kufuor has no moral justification to order a probe into allegation of corruption against the Chief Justice.

“He has no moral right to cause the investigation of the Chief Justice, even though he is legally bound to do so. Mr Kufuor has indeed many questions to answer,”

Special Aide to the former President, Victor Smith confirmed the founder's statement that he had made to some top ranking members of the NDC when the Chronicle contacted him on Sunday.

According to him, President Kufuor's owned conscience should for now be pricking him since he has persistently devised ways to avoid being questioned on very serious allegations of impropriety and corruption that have been made against him and some of his appointees.

“ Mr Kufuor's reluctance to address the serious allegations made against him over the years, has brought the high office of the President into disrepute.

Mr Kufuor goes on to tell Ghanaians to keep their perceptions of corruption in their heads and then turns round and directs the investigation on the chief justice.”

According to the former President, the fact that President Kufuor has the power to set up investigations does not mean that he should demonstrate to the whole nation by subjecting himself to investigations.

President Kufuor last week instituted a committee to investigate allegations of corruption made by a former Chief State Attorney and prosecutor under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) Bright Akwetey against the Chief Justice.

Mr Akwetey now an Accra based private legal practitioner, has petitioned the president to set up a committee of inquiry to investigate and remove from office the chief Justice on grounds of abuse of power and judicial misconduct.

He mentioned three judges who he alleges were punished by the CJ for upholding integrity of the country.

He said his petition was in pursuant to article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.

According to the Chronicle Mr Akwetey is one of the 'boys' used by Mr Rawlings in the searing heat of his revolution in pursuing his brand of justice when almost all charges carried the death sentence by firing squad.