President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Woode to investigate corruption claims against Commissioner for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Lauretta Lamptey.

The Commissioner reportedly spent $148,000 on her 33-month rent and an additional $180,000 on renovating her official residence.

Though Ms. Lamptey has explained the circumstances under which the monies were spent, many insist, she must be removed from office.

The Nsawam- Adoagyiri MP, Frank Annor Dompreh and the Progressive Nationalist Forum (PNF), have submitted separate petitions to the President asking for the removal of the Commissioner.

Speaking Saturday October 11, 2014 on Newsfile on Joy FM and MultiTV's Joy News Channel, a member of the legal team of the governing National Democratic Party (NDC) Abraham Amaliba revealed that, President Mahama upon his return from the trip to the USA for the UN General Assembly meetings, has forwarded the two petitions to the Chief Justice for action.

“The president upon his return has forwarded two petitions to the Chief Justice for the necessary action…The petition was based on what was submitted as an Auditor General’s report [and] the president has acted on that,” he said.

He indicated the president is determined to act dicisively on any findings by the investigative committee yet to be formed by the Chief Justice.

“If the second one comes and we need to act, true to our character, we will act…This is a clear indication that we are not sitting on those petitions,” Mr. Amaliba pronounced.

However, former Commissioner of CHRAJ, Dr. Francis Emile Short says the president only acted on the provisions of the 1992 Constitution.

“Irrespective of the ongoing special audit by the Auditor General, what the constitution provides is that if the president receives a petition for the removal of a justice of the superior court [which also applies to the CHRAJ Boss]…he shall refer the petition to the Chief Justice,”.

According to him, the Chief Justice will then be mandated to “determine whether there is a prima facie case”.

“…she will then decide to set up a committee to investigate the matter,” Dr. Short stated.