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Tsatsu ‘Sacks’ Another Judge |
| Just A few days after Tsatsu Tsikata, former boss of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), asked Justice S. A. Brobbey to recuse from the panel hearing his application at the Supreme Court, Tsikata has sent Justice Anin Yeboah, who replaced Justice Brobbey, packing. |
This was after the applicant, Tsikata, had expressed misgivings about the Judge who was among the five Judges hearing his case, explaining that it was the same Judge who gave judgment with two others at the Court of Appeal in which they said the International Financial Corporation (IFC) could not be forced to testify in his case.
However, the applicant said he would not want to lose the opportunity to proceed with the application by asking the Judge to leave the panel as he had asked Justice Brobbey to do, but he “would leave him to his conscience”.
Just then, Justice Anin Yeboah spoke in a low tone to the presiding Judge, Ms Sophia Akuffo, who told Tsikata that once a misgiving had been expressed, the Judge would leave the panel as she did not want a situation where there was a reservation from the beginning.
According to her, the Judge himself had opted out on hearing Tsikata’s application in which he wants the court to quash the judgment of Justice Henrietta Abban, who sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment for causing financial loss to the state.
The former GNPC Chief Executive told the court that if by Justice Anin Yeboah’s exist, the case would be adjourned sine die, it would be unfair to him (Tsikata) since the legal year would end next week; so he was prepared to proceed with his application.
Tsikata said Justice Anin Yeboah knew about the fact that he read out the judgment yet allowed the Chief Justice to empanel him.
With this statement, the Judge wanted to react but was restrained by Ms Akuffo who said once he had excused himself from the panel there was no need for any argument on the matter.
The case was subsequently adjourned sine die.
Just last week, the applicant told Justice Brobbey to recuse from the panel because he was the one who headed a committee that looked into allegations of interference on the part of Mrs. Abban, who was accused of influencing the incarceration of the Member of Parliament for Keta, Hon. Dan Abodakpi.
She was said to have called the trial Judge, Justice S.T. Farkye out of the court room when he was delivering his judgment.
Tsikata was jailed last month after Mrs. Abban found him guilty on three counts of causing financial loss to the state and misapplying public property.
As the Chief Executive of GNPC, he used the Corporation to guarantee a loan of about ¢2.3 billion for Valley Farms, a company which is into cocoa, from Caisse Franciase de Development.
When Valley Farms defaulted in payment, GNPC, which acted as its guarantor, was called upon to pay the amount.
Meanwhile, the bail application of Tsikata before Justice Abban is slated for hearing today.
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