More Than 34 "Corrupt" Judges Will Be Unearthed If Put Before Antoa Shrine - Lawyer

A private legal practitioner, Lawyer Maurice Ampaw believes there are more than 34 "corrupt" judges in the country, quite higher than the figure ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremyaw Anas captured in his latest judicial bribery scandal.

According to him, it is not surprising the findings which the ace investigative journalist has published as he, a couple of months back, indicated that the judicial service is corrupt but there was no evidence to back the claim.

Though 34 judges have been captured on video and in audio recording, the lead investigator in the judicial bribery scandal, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has stated that some judges were more than ready to put him behind prison bars for even coming to speak to them about a case.

Others would not permit me to come and bribe them and their clerks told me that very clearly. Anytime that happened, I left the court premises with a sense of joy and hope. They made me know that justice had no price. There is, indeed, hope for Ghana,” he stated.

According to him, most of the new circuit and district court judges were determined to do their work without any compromise.

It was their determination and courage to do the right thing that motivated me every day. We as a people must not fail them,” he stated.

In the course of my investigations into perceived corruption in the Judiciary, I found judges who were ready to uphold their oaths and perform the duties of their office without fear or favour,” he said, adding, “There is hope for Ghana.”

But Maurice Ampaw on Okay Fm’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show has challenged that saying a lot of the judges are taking bribes and their lifestyle and the kind of mansions they have erected as compared to their salaries is the definition of corruption in the judicial service.

A lot of the judges are taking bribes and if you want to know this, access their lifestyles; how much are they earning as High Court judges or Circuit Court judges? But some of them are putting up mansions and driving in luxurious cars; some are into real estate development and so you ask yourself, how did they come by all these monies?” he quizzed.

Some of us have evidence of judges taking money…Anas investigation has vindicated some of us who have always said some judges take bribes…the truth is that the corrupt judges are not only 34 but there are more; maybe they were lucky to escape the watch of Anas investigations and so don’t say they are not corrupt. If we should line up all the judges before Antoa shrine, more than these numbers will be charged corrupt when they swear to the shrine; you will see how many people will be falling”, he asserted.