Justice Priscilla Dikro Ofori, a judge who presided over the criminal trial of Alex Kwabena Sarfo-Kantanka for bribery, has been transferred just before she was due to deliver judgment.
Mr. Sarfo-Kantanka, President Akufo-Addo’s nominee for Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Juaben in the Ashanti Region, was charged with 26 counts of election-related corruption by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The trial concluded with judgment initially scheduled for Thursday, November 28, 2024. However, the parties arrived in court only to learn that the presiding judge had been transferred and replaced by a new judge.
Sarfo-Kantanka faces multiple charges of corruption, including allegations of offering bribes to assembly members in a bid to secure their approval for his nomination as MCE.
During Thursday’s hearing, the accused appeared with new legal counsel, who argued that their client wished to file written submissions—a task his previous counsel had failed to complete.
The newly assigned judge, upon reviewing the submissions, stated in open court that he was unfamiliar with the case and required time to thoroughly study the docket.
Consequently, the matter was adjourned to January 20, 2025—after the December 7 general election, when a new government would be in place.
Background
In 2022, the OSP charged Sarfo-Kantanka with 26 counts of election-related corruption.
Sarfo-Kantanka, who failed to secure the required votes to become MCE for the Juaben Municipal Assembly after two rounds of voting in September and November 2021, was caught on video demanding the return of bribe monies paid to assembly members to influence their votes.
The accused allegedly gave GH¢5,000 each to elected members and GH¢2,500 to government appointees.
In its statement at the time, the OSP said, “The accused admitted gifting the indicated sums of money to the respective categories of the members of the assembly to influence the outcome of the elections in his favour.”
Sarfo-Kantanka failed to reach the two-thirds majority needed for confirmation. He received 10 Yes votes against 15 No votes, with one ballot rejected.
Twenty of the 26 assembly members boycotted an earlier voting process, citing heavy security presence at the venue.
After the failed process, Sarfo-Kantanka was captured in a viral video angrily demanding refunds from assembly members. The OSP described him as going “berserk” and venting his frustrations on the members.
The police arrested him and granted him self-recognizance bail on November 1, 2021.
In June 2023, the Kumasi High Court admitted the viral video as evidence in which the failed MCE nominee was seen and heard demanding the return of his money from the assembly members.
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