The former Deputy Minister of Energy, KT Hammond has sued the Government of Ghana over its attempts to investigate him for his role in the disbursement of an amount of US$ 900,000.00 to a law firm Constant and Constant in 2001.
He is asking the High Court, Human Rights Division, to enforce his fundamental human rights by stopping the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) as second respondent, from carrying out a directive by the Government to investigate him.
The Attorney General is listed as first respondent in the writ filed Wednesday.
In the 10-page writ, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa says a directive by the government for EOCO to investigate him constitutes a violation of his fundamental human rights as provided for by Article 33 of the 1992 Constitution, specifically so after he appeared before the Judgement Debt Commission as a witness.
He is seeking among other reliefs, a declaration that the Judgement Debt Commission did not make any adverse finding against him in its report; and that the directive by Government for EOCO to investigate “the mandate, authority and/or basis” of his disbursement of the said amount to cater for the future debts of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), emanates from his evidence before the Commission of Inquiry.
KT Hammond also wants the court to declare that as a witness at the Commission of Inquiry into Judgment Debts and related matters, he is entitled to the immunities and privileges of a witness who testifies before the High Court as purposed by Article 283 of the 1992 Constitution and Regulation 13 of the Commissions of Inquiry (Practice and Procedure) Rules, 2010; C.I. 65; which entitles him not to be investigated by EOCO or any agency of state in respect of his evidence before the Judgement Debt Commission.
He is also seeking “An order of perpetual injunction restraining 2nd Respondent, its agents, officials, servants, hirelings and/or any person claiming under or through it and howsoever described and/or any department or agency of the 1st Respondent from inviting, summoning and/or interfering with the freedom of the Applicant in whatever form it may take in furtherance of the directive of 1st Respondent concerning Applicant as contained in the White Paper on the Report of the Commission of Inquiry Into Payments from Public Funds Arising from Judgment Debts & Akin Matters.”
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