CJ can sue ASEPA but he should pardon them - Lawyer

Private legal practitioner lawyer Tachie Antiedu has asked Chief Justice Anin-Yeboah to pardon executives of civil society group Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) for the ‘hearsay’ petition filed against him in the $5 million bribery allegation.

The lawyer speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm said although ASEPA failed to present any hardcore evidence in their petition, the learned Chief Justice must not take any suit against them for defaming his character.

He was responding to a question on whether the CJ could seek legal redress and sue for defamation after the president rejected the petition filed against him because it was unmeritorious.

President Akufo-Addo has dismissed the petition initiated by ASEPA seeking to remove Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, from office.

The President, upon the recommendations of the Council of State, determined that the application by ASEPA was unmeritorious and unwarranted and was devoid of any basis to remove the Chief Justice.

The lawyer reacting to the outcome of the case explained that although Justice Anin-Yeboah has the right to sue for defamation, he would not advise him to do so.

He said as people who hold high office4 of the land, the democracy allows people to t5est the constitution on matters like this.

If he were an ordinary citizen, I would have advised him to sue for defamation but because he is the CJ, I would appeal to him to let go.

He said ASEPA themselves had no evidence and had to depend on what lawyer Afrifa had said.

Lawyer Antiedu was also shocked that lawyer Afrifa is still insisting that he got evidence to support his claims.

He said the evidence the lawyer refers to is something someone had also alleged but let us wait and see how the matter unfolds.

He indicated that in law, hearsay would be admissible without any form of evidence.

The lawyer stressed he who alleges must prove and so let us wait and see how the issue unfolds.