The Acting Director in charge of the Public Complaints Unit of the Judicial Service has said the scandal that rocked Ghana’s judiciary in 2015 severely dented its image.

Justice Angelina Mornah Domakyaareh, an Appeals Court Judge, said since the scandal, however, firm steps have been taken by the Judicial Service of Ghana to uproot corruption within the judiciary.

In that 2015 exposé by Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye team, 34 judges and magistrates were captured receiving money, goats, sheep and foodstuff to twist judgements.

“In fact, the Anas’ incident is known worldwide and it dented seriously the image of the Judiciary,” Justice Domakyaareh revealed on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Wednesday.

Justice Angelina Mornah Domakyaareh was on the Corruption Watch segment of the Super Morning Show to discuss steps that have been taken by the Judicial Service to deal with corruption.

Justice Domakyaareh said “After the Anas incident…Swift action was taken and all those who were implicated in that exposé went through the appropriate due process and then they were sanctioned appropriately.”

She noted that the number of good judges in Ghana’s courts are more than the bad ones, “but where there is a good nut among the bad ones, it has the bad nut has the effect of spoiling all the nuts.”

Citing the current recruitment process of judges, for instance, she said “recruitment is now placing a serious focus on integrity…as far as the bench is concerned, legal competence is necessary but the Anas exposé has shown us that legal competence, though necessary, is not sufficient.  Because you can be a very brilliant lawyer but if you have no character or integrity you are only going to dent the image of the judiciary…the recruitment process of judges has been further intensified.”

To ensure that the integrity of a person being called to the bench is impeccable, the Judicial Service now publishes the name of the shortlisted applicant in the dailies to invite public comments about their character.

Justice Domakyaareh revealed no member of the public has come forward to report any wrongdoing by a candidate for the bench, proof that the recruitment process for judges has now become very vigorous.