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The Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Obiri Boahen has defended the action of a justice of the Supreme Court who allegedly attempted to get a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) to vote for Prof Mike Ocquaye in the race for the choice of speaker for the 8th parliament.
According to the NPP deputy chief scribe there is nothing wrong with a justice of the apex court getting someone to vote in a particular direction.
During the election of a Speaker for the 8th Parliament, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka alleged that a Supreme Court judge called a female MP-elect from the NDC and persuaded her to vote against the NDC’s nominee of Speaker for the 8th Parliament.
He alleged that the said judge was advocating for the governing party and was ready to offer the said female MP fuel for the four years of her parliamentary work.
In an interview with an online portal Nana Obiri Boahen gave scenarios which may have necessitated the action of the justice of the Supreme Court.
This is the story curled out from the interview published by the online portal;
There’s nothing wrong with a Supreme Court judge telling an NDC MP to vote for Mike Oquaye – Obiri Boahen
Nana Obiri Boahen, the Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party has suggested that the Supreme Court judge who allegedly tried to bribe a Member of Parliament on the ticket of the NDC might have made a mere recommendation to the said MP.
Speaking to GhanaWeb in an interview, the legal practitioner said that no law bars a justice of the Supreme Court from supporting a political party.
Therefore, a judge who is a sympathizer of a certain party could make recommendations that he or she believes inures to the benefit of that party.
He assumed that the judge in question might have had a relationship with the MP hence the proposal for her to vote the NPP’s nominee for the Speaker of Parliament role.
He therefore advised that before conclusions are made, the relationship between the MP and judge ought to be examined and established.
“The Supreme Court judge is a human being and there is no law in Ghana that bars a Supreme Court from being a sympathizer of a political party. In what capacity was he or she talking to the MP. It could well be that the MP is a daughter, a friend or cousin.
“Maybe the Supreme Court judge has a relationship with the MP and asked him to vote the NPP. So there is nothing wrong with that, if the judge made the request. Supreme Court judges are human beings so if a judge discusses an issue of politics with someone he or she has a relationship with, what’s wrong with it?”, he quizzed in a GhanaWeb interview.
Muntaka Mubarak, the MP for Asawase revealed in an interview that one of the 17 judges at the Supreme Court made attempts to have an NDC MP flip to the NPP side during the election of the speaker.
He alleged that the judge enticed the MP with some incentives but the MP did not budge.
“So shamefully, a Supreme Court Judge calls a colleague lady, telling her what they will give her. She has children, they will help her take care of her children. She can take fuel from a filling station for the four years,” Muntaka alleged.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
Meanwhile, the Chief Justice, Justice Anin Yeboah has said his outfit is taking steps to get Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak and his team to help get the matter investigated since the allegations are serious.
A statement issued yesterday signed by the Judicial Secretary, Pamela Addo said the matter would be thoroughly investigated and action taken.
Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak, the National Democratic Congress MP for Asawase Constituency who made the allegation has further established that the NDC caucus is ready to provide evidence to any team assigned by the Chief Justice to investigate the bribery allegations leveled against a justice of the Supreme Court.
Following the accusations, many have asked that the NDC Minority Chief Whip provides the necessary evidence to back his claim. Others have also called for a thorough probe into the issue.
But reacting to the call for evidence to back his claim, Mr. Muntaka said: “That will be right because that gives all of us the opportunity to put some of these things beyond just mentioning, but we will look forward to whatever they want to do”.
Mr. Muntaka added that during its dealings, the NDC caucus will endeavor to follow the right procedure so as not to interfere in the work of the Judiciary.
“As an MP reaching out to the judicial arm, I find that in our democratic settings it is not proper. I can assure you that if it becomes necessary we will appear there with our evidence”.