The judge presiding over a case of a businessman who allegedly duped the National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Kofi Adams, to the tune of GH¢840, 000, has recused herself from the case.
Mrs Harriet Jane Akweley Quaye, a judge of the Accra Circuit Court, took exception on Monday to comments made by lawyer for Arnold Asante, the accused, that she had met a previous prosecutor of another case in which his client had been alleged to have duped another person of GH¢62,000.
Mrs Quaye is the judge handling both the alleged defrauding by Asante against Mr Adams and the GH¢62,000 alleged defrauding of a businesswoman.
Counsel for the accused, Dr Maurice Ankrah, in making a submission for bail said his client was facing serious challenges and a prosecutor who first handled the case had met the judge to inform her.
Mrs Quaye did not take kindly to the comments of the counsel and insisted that she had not discussed any issue with any prosecutor or any interested party in the case.
“I have not met any prosecutor, but for you to say that I have had conference with a prosecutor means I have been compromised. I will, therefore, write to the Chief Justice that I am recusing myself from both cases,’’ the presiding judge said.
In response, Dr Ankrah, stated that he was not accusing the judge of involving herself in any illegality, but he wanted her to appreciate the situation of his client. “Your honour, I did not accuse you of conniving with anybody, and please if that was how my submission was interpreted, I am extremely sorry,’’ he said.
With the judge recusing her, the Chief Justice, will have to assign another judge to handle the cases.
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