A Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ernest Owusu-Bempah has said that the utterances of the Dormaahene on the trial of Assin North Member of Parliament James Gyakye Quayson makes him unfit to remain in office as a High Court judge.

Owusu-Bempah believes that the traditional ruler bastadised the judiciary, the very institution he is part of as a judge.

It is recalled that while speaking at the 10th-anniversary lecture of John Evans Atta Mills, in Sunyani, Osagyefo Agyemang Badu who is also a High Court Judge said “As a matter of urgency, I am appealing to the president of the republic that if he has any role to play in that trial should be aborted. The Attorney General should as a matter of urgency file a nolle prosequi to end that particular decision.”

“Honestly, I don’t see the benefits this prosecution will bring Ghanaians. If he is in court, he can’t fulfill his mandate so the president and the Attorney General should do something urgently to end this matter, so we move on as Ghanaians,” he added.

But in a statement reacting to him, Mr Owusu Bempah said “Anyone who has been following events in our political space would agree with the notion that Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, otherwise known in the Judiciary as Justice Daniel Mensah has turned precipitously more into a legalistic albino and a pawn in the hands of the National Democratic Congress(NDC).

“As a matter of fact, I almost threw up listening to his politically incorrect rants and open insults on the judiciary, the same institution that he belongs to.

“I was particularly taken aback by his intemperate language, overt threat on the state, and his nerves for daring the Supreme Court.

“What exactly was Justice Daniel Mensah driving at when he spouted that tosh to the effect that President Akufo-Addo and the Attorney-General must discontinue the Gyakye Quayson criminal trial?”

His comment has also incurred the wrath of the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice saying such commentaries “clearly exceed the bounds of acceptable speech as they seek to disparage prosecutors in the eyes of the public and frustrate prosecution of those cases.

“Some of the comments are orchestrated to pervert the course of justice and/or prejudice the fair hearing and determination of the cases.” 

Mr Dame explained that “The decision to prefer a charge against an accused person is not made on the basis of a person’s political status, social or economic standing but on the strength of evidence subject to the scrutiny of the courts.

“An acquittal of a person by the courts does not imply malice on the part of the Republic in the filing of a charge.

“The perception that a crime committed by a person of high political standing in society should not be prosecuted is dangerous for society and must not be countenanced.” 

The Attorney-General added that “in the discharge of his duty to protect the administration of justice from abuse, hereby entreats the general public to permit the streams of justice to flow freely and uncontaminated by undue comments and pressure on the courts.” 

The Attorney-General cautioned that “no immunity is conferred by a person’s position in parliament, judiciary, traditional authority, Ghana Bar Association (GBA), or any official position, from the consequences of an interference in the administration of justice or an attempt to overreach a judgment to be delivered by the court in any matter.”

“We must respect due process.”