Sosu Slams GBA Leadership For Chastising His Comment
The Madina Member of Parliament, Francis Xavier Sosu has slammed the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) for criticising him for his “dealing with political judges politically” comment and the label as “unprofessional, unfortunate, irresponsible and distasteful”.
Quite amazed about the sudden outburst of the GBA whose silence in matters of keen interest has been loud in the country, Sosu said “I reject the allegation of being unprofessional and would reiterate that the GBA is rather a monumental failure to our democracy and I take strong exceptions to the statement of the leadership of the GBA”
According to the lawyer, the leadership’s communique shows the extent to which they are politically affiliated and bias as leaders of the Bar Association.
He also retains his stance on the earlier comment.
“Let me be clear that I stand by my statement any day, any time. The statement was a conditional statement and no amount of twists and turns will extricate judicial officers and judges, who would allow themselves to become agents of political partisan agenda.”
“Let me also place on record that I am aware of Articles 144,145, and 146 of the 1992 constitution… In my respective view, partisan judges have no business being on the bench. If you are a judge with sympathies towards NDC or NPP or CPP or any known political party in Ghana and you allow yourself to be influenced in any way or for a political outcome, then you are not fit to be a judge”, he said noting that it amounts to misbehaviour.
“Instead of joining the clarion call to stop our judges from becoming political judges in order to guarantee our democracy, the leadership of the GBA is needlessly attacking the voice of conscience that speaks truth though it hurts badly”, he stated.
It will be recalled that the MP for Madina, also a lawyer, in a media interview during the Yentua demonstration cautioned judges wearing party colours underneath their cloaks to desist.
“If you are a judge, your fidelity is to the constitution of Ghana and the laws of Ghana. If you allow yourself to be used as a political judge so that you can do the bidding of the ruling government be warned, be warned because we are watching closely and in the event that there’s a change of power, every political judge will be fished out, every political judge will be dealt with politically”, he said.
In reaction to this, the GBA upheld that Article 146(I) says “A justice of the Superior Court or a Chairman of a Regional Tribunal shall not be removed from office except for stated misbehaviour or incompetence or on the ground of inability to perform the functions of his office arising from infirmity of body or mind”.
The lawyers association also pointed out that the comment “smacks of deep-seated ignorance” and described it as an attack on judges which has the propensity of creating disaffection and ill-will for judges and for that matter the judiciary.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
