Four Ghana judges suspended in bribery scandal: presidency

Accra, Ghana | AFP | Four judges accused of taking bribes in Ghana have been suspended, the presidency announced Wednesday, in the latest fallout from a graft scandal rocking the country’s judiciary.

President Nana Akufo-Addo suspended the high court judges after a disciplinary committee launched a case against them.

The four belonged to a group of 12 judges who were caught on tape in 2015 by a local journalist investigating allegations of bribe-taking to influence cases.

“The suspension follows the establishment of a prima facie case against the four justices by the committee set up by the chief justice to investigate alleged acts of bribery and corruption,” said presidency spokesman Eugene Arhin in a statement.

Twenty lower court judges and magistrates have already been sacked following the bribery expose that shocked the west African nation, which prides itself on being a bastion of democracy and good governance in the region.

The undercover footage purported to show the judges and more than 100 court officials accepting money from clients for everything from appointments to false rulings.

Some of those featured in the expose tried to block the broadcast of the film but it was eventually shown to packed crowds, prompting calls for judicial reform.

The investigative journalist behind the expose, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who uses an array of disguises, has become a celebrity in Ghana.