The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) says, it is giving the necessary attention to a petition to probe a $5 million bribery allegation made against Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah.

This was in response to a petition submitted by a Civil Society Organization, Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) calling for a probe into the matter.

In its letter sighted by Joy News, dated July 12, 2021, signed by the Deputy Chief Investigator for the Commission, Mrs. Paulina Essel, CHRAJ noted that the complaint “is receiving the necessary attention.”

A Kumasi-based Lawyer, Akwasi Afrifa, Esq, made the allegation in a letter circulating on social media. The letter is a response to an invitation by the General Legal Council (GLC) for him to appear before it, in relation to a petition by his former client, Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta IV, for failing to pay an amount of $75,000 he (Akwasi Afrifa, Esq) owes the latter.

In the letter, Kwasi Afrifa Esq claimed that Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta IV, informed him that the Chief Justice had requested the said amount in order for him to receive a favorable judgement from the Supreme Court, in the matter of OGYEEDOM OBRANU KWESI ATTA IV V GHANA TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY & LANDS COMMISSION.

Among other things, Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta IV, in his petition to the GLC, alleged that his lawyer had asked for an amount of 100,000 dollars from him to be used for what he called “ways and means” to secure a favorable court decision.

Mr. Atta told the General Legal Council that, he paid the amount but requested a refund on suspicion that the lawyer had not used the money for the said purpose.

But Kwasi Afrifa in his response dismissed the allegation and levelled new ones. He claimed it was rather his client, the chief, who alleged he had met with the Chief Justice who had demanded an amount of $5 million for a favorable judgment.

Ogyeedom Kwesi Atta has since denied this allegation.

He insists, he does not have a personal relationship with the Chief Justice and urged the public to disregard the allegations by Mr. Afrifa.

On his part, the Chief Justice had written to the Police CID asking that it investigates the matter. The Chief Justice also explained that when the matter came to his court, the chief accused him and another judge, Jones Doste of being biased, and demanded their recusal.

In spite of this, Civil Society Organization, Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to probe the matter.

ASEPA says the allegations are serious and cast a serious slur on the image of justice administration in Ghana.

It therefore considers it important that CHRAJ investigates the matter and recommend appropriate sanctions if need be.