Pwamang Committee must Apologize to former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo and co for Leaking their Testimonies to the Media

P.K. Sarpong has expressed concerns over the leak of testimonies given by former Chief Justices Sophia Akuffo and Kwasi Anin Yeboah, along with other legal luminaries, before the Article 146 committee. The committee, established to investigate Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, had assured that hearings would be conducted in-camera, with no public disclosure of the proceedings.

P.K. Sarpong believes the leak constitutes a breach of trust by the Pwamang Committee, particularly given the committee’s earlier assurance of confidentiality.

He finds it ironic that Chief Justice Torkornoo’s own hearing was not leaked, despite her efforts to have it televised live, while the testimonies of former Chief Justices and other legal experts were made public.

He also demands an unqualified apology from the Pwamang Committee to the affected individuals and a thorough investigation to identify the person responsible for the leak.

Read the full post below:

“I felt a sense of trepidation when it came to light that the two former Chief Justices of the Republic, Justice Sophia Akuffo (rtd) and Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah (rtd) together with other legal luminaries and jurists who appeared before the five-member Article 146 committee established by President Mahama had been leaked to the media.

Other reputable legal experts who also volunteered to appear before the committee to testify at the hearing for Chief Justice Gertrude Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo included Nana Dr. S K B Asante, Justice Jones Dotse, a retired Supreme Court Justice and Samuel Okudzeto, the legal kahuna.

These eminent legal experts did not agree to appear before the committee to testify for same to be made public. They agreed to testify by adhering to the laid down rules and regulations instituted by the committee. The Pwamang Committee, right from the get-go, made it abundantly clear that hearings would be done in-camera and under no circumstances would the processes be made public.

The Chief Justice, Gertrude Esaaba Torkornoo, filed suits upon suits to have the in-camera hearing of her own case waived, but the committee countered same, thereby cloistering the Chief Justice from getting the proceedings televised live for the world to see whatever would happen there.

Is it not ironic that Gertrude Torkornoo’s own hearing which she longed for it to be a live telecast is not being broadcast or leaked, but the former Chief Justices and other legal luminaries have had their testimonies leaked?

I ask, why did the Pwamang Committee refused to have proceedings at the entire hearing televised live as Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has desired, but leaked the details of the testimonies given by former Chief Justices Sophia Akuffo and Anin Yeboah and the others?

This is a breach of trust on the part of the former Chief Justices and the other legal luminaries by the Pwamang Committee. This is a classic case of an exhibition of bad faith by the Pwamang Committee.

The Pwamang Committee must render an unqualified apology to former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo and her colleagues who voluntarily appeared before the committee to give testimonies to aid the work of the committee.

The Committee must go further than issuing an apology to the eminent legal scholars. A full-blown investigation must be conducted to fish out the one who leaked the proceedings to the media, thereby breaching the rules pertaining to the in-camera hearing of proceedings.

It is reprehensible, if not shameful, for the Pwamang Committee to engage in such an act of betrayal. Until the Committee renders an unqualified apology to the former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo and her colleagues, and have the leakage fully investigated and the culprit punished, I will continue to hold on to the belief that the leakage was engineered by Justice Gabriel Pwamang himself.’’

By DeStoryNews