The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has cautioned the Judiciary Council to stop any attempts to harass and intimidate the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, in his professional life as a High Court judge.
According to the party, such a move is unhealthy as it will prevent others from expressing their views on issues of national importance.
NDC in a press statement issued on Tuesday, July 25, and signed by its General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey, said it has taken notice of attempts by the Judicial Council to intimidate the venerable chief.
The party said the “conduct by the Judicial Council has all but deepened the ever-rising public perception that the Judiciary under President Akufo-Addo has been weaponised to gag perceived critics of government.”
It has, thus, warned that it will resist such actions to gag the citizens of the country.
“We also note, that the disciplinary powers of the General Legal Council on which known NPP figures serve, has often been used as a tool to harass lawyers affiliated to the NDC through frivolous disciplinary hearings. We demand an immediate cessation of this hostile posturing as it constitutes manifest injustice against those affected.
“The NDC hereby calls on the Judicial Council to reconsider its apparent persecution of the Dormaahene. We wish to caution, that should the Judicial Council proceed to harass and victimize the Dormaahene, the NDC will collaborate with other progressive forces and defenders of democracy to embark on a series of public manifestations to protest this creeping culture of judicial tyranny.”
The traditional leader, who is also the president of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, while speaking at a 10th-anniversary lecture of John Evans Atta Mills in Sunyani recently, appealed to the President to take steps to halt the trial against the MP-elect for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
“As a matter of urgency, I am appealing to the President of the Republic, Attorney General if he has any role to play, that the trial should be aborted,” he appealed.
The revered traditional ruler called on the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame “to as a matter of urgency file a nolle prosequi to end that particular decision.”
The chief’s comments attracted mixed reactions from Ghanaians.
For instance, the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame said the remarks have the potential to jeopardize the fair adjudication of the case, and any comments undermining the administration of justice should not be tolerated.
“I will come out with a proper statement on the matter and it will be in respect of all comments generally which have the tendency to subvert the administration of justice.”
“I think that it is very unhealthy for our democratic dispensation and we must not countenance same.”
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