The ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who exposed some judges allegedly taking bribes, Tuesday appeared on the premises of the Judicial Service in the company of four of his colleagues.
He arrived on the premises at exactly 11.55 a.m., but the Daily Graphic learnt that the Disciplinary Committee of the Judicial Council could not meet.
It was not clear why the committee did not sit. While some sources said it was because of the suit against the committee, others said it was because Nene Amagatcher, a member of the committee, was in Kumasi for the Bar Conference.
Anas was driven to the premises in a Toyota Tundra pick-up accompanied by his colleagues — a cameraman, a sound man, a bodyguard and a foreign national working with an international media outlet.
He was spotted wearing a mask, a cap and a long outfit over a pair of black trousers and a pair of slippers.
He spent about an hour and five minutes in a closed-door meeting and when he was due to leave the premises at exactly 1 p.m., a well-armed police escort arrived to escort him.
His departure from the premises attracted curious staff members of the Judicial Service, some of whom were spotted peeping through windows and doors, while others emerged from the twin three-storey buildings on the premises.
While Anas was in the building, security details on many occasions were dispatched to direct the media to leave the entrances of the storey buildings and get seated either at the reception of the Judicial Service or move to a nearby garage.
Contempt
Also on the premises was the lawyer of some of the judges accused of taking bribes.
Mr Charles Bentum arrived on the premises, together with Mrs Justice Ivy Heward-Mills, to appear before the committee.
However, they had to leave after they were informed that the committee would not sit due to the absence of a member, who is currently in Kumasi attending the ongoing conference of the Ghana Bar Association.
Speaking to the media, Mr Bentum said the decision of the Disciplinary Committee to go ahead with the hearing of the cases of the affected judges would amount to contempt.
“We were informed by some members of the committee that in spite of the filing of the injunction application, the committee will go ahead with its proceedings on Friday, September 22, 2015,” he stated.
According to him, some of the judges had already filed an interlocutory injunction at the High Court to restrain the airing of the scandalous video.
Plaintiffs
Fourteen Circuit Court judges have dragged the Judicial Council to the Fast Track High Court over disciplinary proceedings instituted against them for allegedly receiving bribes to compromise their decisions.
Per their reliefs, the 14 are seeking to halt the work of the Disciplinary Committee of the Judicial Council, which is currently gathering facts for onward submission to the Judicial Council.
The plaintiffs are Emmanuel Kofi Sunu, Benjamin Yaw Osei, Kodwo Filson, Seyram Tsatsu Azumah, Isaac Akwantey and Florence Ninepence.
The rest are Jacob Amponsah, Alfred K. A. Mensah, Albert Zoogah, Isaac Amoah, Michael Gyamfi Boamah, Paul Alhassan, Stephen Asuure and William Baffoe.
Also appearing on the Judicial Service premises yesterday were a judge of the Human Rights Division of the High Court, Mr Justice Bright Kofi Essel Mensah, and his lawyer, Mr Garry Nimako.
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