We're Concerned About The Seeming Judicial Dictatorship Under Anin Yeboah - NDC

The opposition National Democratic Congress NDC, has questioned the independence of the judiciary under the current Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah, accusing him of superintending over judicial dictatorship. According to the party, its confidence in the judiciary has waned and that it cannot be compelled to change its position.

These sentiments were also expressed by the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah when he addressed the press on the back of a petition the Chief Justice aslo filed against one of its members, Dominic Ayine. An unhappy Anin-Yeboah wrote to the Judicial Secretary and to the General Legal Council complaining

about some comments expressed by Dr. Ayine on the 2020 Election Petition Judgement during an event also organised by the Centre for Democratic Development, (CDD-Ghana). The letter, addressed to the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of and also the General Legal Council, accused Dr. Ayine of stating that the

Supreme Court’s failure to apply the rules of procedures as well as the consistent and continuous dismissal of the petitioners’ applications or reliefs were the basis of his assertion. According to the NDC scribe, this action by the Chief Justice has compounded their belief that the independence of the judiciary currently may have

been compromised. They have thus called on the Chief Justice to withdraw the petition. As a matter of fact, neither Dr. Ayine nor we in the NDC can be compelled to increase our confidence in the independence of the judiciary, even when the court has not given us any basis or reason so to do. The Chief Justice ought to be

also reminded that according to the Article 125 of our constitution, justice emanates from the people, and it is administered on behalf of the judiciary, which shall be independent. Public confidence and the independence of the judiciary must therefore be earned and not forced on us. Nobody can force anyone to have confidence in a

system that does not justify that confidence. It's natural, not possible. So if you want me to have confidence in you, you must demonstrate by your actions that you deserve that confidence. I cannot be compelled by any dictator to have confidence in anything that I don’t have confidence in We are

concerned at the seeming judicial dictatorship that is fast festering under the leadership of the current Chief Justice as an unwelcome development which threatens free speech and could potentially undermine our justice system, he insisted.

Nothing wrong with criticizing judges constructively - Inusah Fuseini 

On the same issue, a former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has defended Dr. Ayine. According to Inusah Fuseini, who’s also a private legal practitioner, there is nothing wrong with criticising the judgement or the conduct of judges. There is also no immunity from public criticism or the judgement or conduct of judges while sitting on cases, so judges

must be aware that the spotlight will be shone on their activities whiles they are conducting cases, so I do not see anything particularly wrong with anybody criticising a judgement or the conduct of judges based on the inconsistency in the judgement or lack of a deeper understanding on the procedure or misapplication of the law and throughout the world, the judgement of judges has been subjected to such criticisms.

Your petition against Ayine an attack on Parliament and free speech - Minority takes on CJ

The Minority in Parliament earlier called on the Chief Justice to reconsider his petition against the Bolgatanga East MP, Dr. Dominic Ayine. According to the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the action of the Chief Justice is in bad faith and an assault on free speech.