Your attacks are scandalizing the judiciary - Nana Akomea 'bashes' Mahama

Nana Akomea has jabbed Ex-President John Dramani Mahama over his recent comments about the Chief Justice and the Judiciary.

Mr. Mahama, speaking at a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Lawyers’ Conference, argued that the Judiciary has become an object of mockery and therefore called for a new Chief Justice to lead the Judiciary in redeeming its broken image.

“So badly has the image of our Judiciary deteriorated that many of our citizenry openly make mockery of our justice system and of our justices. The phrase ‘Go to Court’ is these days met with derisive laughter, instead of hope that one will truly get justice”.

“There is, therefore, the urgent need for the Ghanaian Judiciary to work to win the trust and confidence of the citizenry, and erase the widely held perception of hostility and political bias in legal proceedings at the highest courts of the land”.

“Unfortunately, we have no hope that the current leadership of our Judiciary can lead such a process of change. We can only hope, that a new Chief Justice will lead the process to repair the broken image that our Judiciary has acquired over the last few years,” he added.

But the Inter City STC Boss, Nana Akomea, says Mr. Mahama's comments are demeaning to the image and sanctity of the Judiciary.

"President Mahama, as a Ghanaian and as former President, can disagree with the Judiciary or any institution of State. He has the right and he can, based on the disagreement, criticize them . . . You can disagree and criticize but when you go on to say that the Judges' verdict, it is not based on the law but based on bias, then you have been unfair to the Judiciary. You have bastardized the Judiciary and that's what President Mahama is doing," he stated while speaking on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo".

He noted that Mr. Mahama's remarks are an attack on the Judiciary and advised him to know the difference between criticism and attack.

"It's an attack on the Judiciary and not a criticism and it's scandalizing the Judiciary . . . He must be told that there is a difference between criticism and an attack. It has to be pointed out to him."

Chief Justice's Reply To Mahama

Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame, in an address at the Ghana Bar Association's Conference in Ho, Volta Region, also reprimanded Mr. Mahama saying, "non-lawyer Mahama made the comments at a meeting of the legal committee of his party, none of the lawyers raised a finger to contest the wrong and dangerous propaganda by the former President. By their silence, they became abettors of the propagation of hate against the judiciary."

"I find it worrying because lawyers ought to be the loudest and strongest defenders of the independence, integrity and importance of the judiciary rather than serving as tools for its destruction," he added.