Justice Paul Dery Sues Anas, Others Over Judicial Bribery

Justice Paul Dery, one of the High Court Judges, who was caught allegedly taking bribes in the corruption expose’ in Ghana’s judiciary, has sued the investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

      Justice Derry, who filed the suit at the Accra Fast Track High Court, has also sued the Chief Justice Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood and the Attorney General, as defendants.

     The High Court Judge is seeking 17 reliefs from the Fast Track High Court, with the topmost among them; “a declaration that the first Defendant (Tiger Eye PI) obtained the contents of the audio-visual recording unlawfully”.

     Justice Dery is also seeking a declaration that the intended public screening of the contents of the audio-visual recordings by the first Defendant was prejudicial to the Plaintiff's right to a fair hearing.

      “A declaration that the 1st Defendant's act of secretly recording private discussions with the Plaintiff constituted a violation of the Plaintiff's right to privacy,” he added.

    The High Court Judge is also looking for a declaration that any purported immunity granted by the third Defendant (Attorney-General) to the first Defendant, its Chief Executive Officer, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, its privies, agents and assigns was unlawful and of no effect.

     He also wants the Court to declare that the second Defendant (Chief Justice), her privies, agents, assigns and successors could not rely on the contents of the illegally or unlawfully procured audio-visual recordings.

   "A declaration that the second Defendant (Chief Justice) cannot arrive at a fair determination as to whether a prima facie case has been established against the Plaintiff by relying on the content of the Petition filed by the 1st Defendant,” he said.

  The Plaintiff also said the audio-visual recordings were obtained by means, which violent the plaintiff’s right to privacy.

    He also said the first defendant is a private entity not belonging to any statutory security service and not licensed to carry out investigations in the manner that he sought to record the audio-visuals.

    Justice Dery contended that if truly the said audio-visual recording existed, the same constitutes a breach and transgress all rules of justices, fair play and equity.

   Meanwhile ten of the justices indicted in the audio-visual were yet to file their responses for the alleged bribery scandal.

   An A-G’s Representative on the Committee sitting on the bribery scandal says the state is yet to prefer charges against some of the Circuit Court Judges and the Magistrates indicated in the scandal.

   The charges would be preferred under the criminal offences Acts section 239, sub-section 1 and 2 for corruption and misdemeanor.