K Kakraba Pratt writes on Gov't officials relationship with people under investigation

SHOULD THE CHIEF JUSTICE, MADAM SOPHIA AKUFFO AND OTHER HIGH RANKING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, INCLUDING MINISTERS, RE-EVALUATE THEIR PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS RELATIONSHIPS, WITH ANY PERSONS CURRENTLY UNDER FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC INVESTIGATIONS IN GHANA IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS?

In Ghana, the Chief Justice, CJ is the highest judge in the country. He or she is the most senior judge of the Supreme Court and the head of justice administration in the country. He or she by right and role, is responsible for empaneling and supervision of judges even if she does not do it alone or does it in concert with other institutions. The buck for the administration of justice stops with her. According to our constitution, in order of State Precedence, the CJ is the fourth highest official of the land after the president.

It stands to reason therefore, for an ordinary person in the street to ascribe a lot of influence and power to the CJ, and also in view of our cultural practices, social interpretation, there is a perception that relationships to persons in authority does give a feeling of very high protection, cover and influence for persons who are very close to her especially family members, very close friends and more especially her perceived “spiritual father”

The CJ was sworn into office on 19th June 2017. The following Sunday she went to church at the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) where she has been a member of the congregation for years, with Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, current Minister for Works and Housing, other ministers and several high ranking government officials. The thanks giving service was officiated by Pastor Mensa-Otabil, a man who is these days always in the news for the wrong reasons as being one of the main architects of failings within the banking and financial sector. It has been alleged largely and severally that his role or lack thereof as chairman of Capital Bank and his personal behavior in taking several millions of cedis of improper loans and lack of managerial skills contributed largely, to the collapse of the Bank. This and other happenings in the financial sector has plunged the entire banking system, including the central bank into chaos and disrepute and reduced confidence in the banking sector in Ghana. During the thanks giving service, the CJ asked the “man of God” whom she recognizes as her spiritual father to bless her and pray for her to have wisdom in the discharge of her duties as CJ of the land.

During the presentation of the first budget of the new NPP government in 2017, the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori Atta, openly declared in the dispatch box of parliament, during his opening comments, that the budget was solid because he discussed it with Pastor Mensa-Otabil and received his personal blessings before coming to present it in parliament. However inappropriate his action in discussing the national budget with somebody who has no clue about how budgets are prepared or data compiled, the action in itself, would in most countries be considered unconstitutional since apart from cabinet, the first organ of state to hear and approve the budget is parliament of Ghana, consisting of the elected representatives of the people of Ghana and not a Pastor or church. The fact that this was done with not even a whimper of opposition in parliament or the press shows how powerful relationships with high ranking government officials may be construed or misconstrued in times of investigations by the ordinary citizen of a possible cover up and unfair protection for the individual. No matter who he is, in the final outcomes of both the investigations and or if it turns out that such a person should face criminal prosecutions in our courts, ordinary citizens would be wondering if we are being taken for granted.

Some of you will also recall that following the return of the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamoud Bawumia, from his treatment for Flu abroad, the whole Vice President ( who is not even a Christian but a known devout Muslim) attended Pastor Mensa-Otabil’s International Central Gospel Church, to offer religious thanks to God, officiated by the Pastor beaming with smiles and proudly displaying all the thirty-two dentures. If this is not influence peddling then I don’t know what it is.

While I am not accusing the CJ of bias, lack of integrity and the possibility of personally influencing the outcomes, it is fair for an ordinary person like me to be worried and concerned that the continued friendship, attendance at the church where a person of adverse interest to the state is head
and it’s spiritual leader, and continues recognition of such entity as her spiritual father and the person she looks up to for guidance, may have an unintended influence and negative impact on the final outcomes of the processes of investigations and possible prosecutions.

The Bible says among other things that “... flee from the appearance of evil...” that should include any suspicion or perception of a possible future bias or influence. This must be avoided at all cost to ensure that Joe public will have confidence in the governments public commitment to get to the bottom of the banking collapse and punish anybody whose action or inaction has contributed in anyway shape or form, to this huge national fiasco and massive economic embarrassment.

Our friends in the Legal fraternity also say that “... justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done..” this in common sense, requires that anything or sets of situations and factors that May suggests that in case the esteemed man of God is found culpable and is likely to face a court, Ghanaians might be given a “show trial” and make mockery of the administration of justice must be avoided. This in my humble suggestion seems it fit for the CJ and all high ranking government officials to stop all contacts.

There could also be a perception that because there would be a lack of the political will to effectively and conclusively deal with the fallout from the banking sector for fear of probably having to prosecute a friend and spiritual guiding father, all others involved in the scandal may be spared or there could be selective justice by investigating and prosecuting only a few of the real culprits in order to avoid widening of the net to rope in all who are connected in the destruction of our economy.

I am not for a moment suggesting that the CJ must stop being a Christian or stop going to church because her spiritual mentor whom she asked to pray for to have wisdom to discharge her duties as CJ has let her and the country down. No! Far from it. All I am requesting as an ordinary citizen, who wants to have absolute faith and confidence in our judicial system and all the millions of Ghanaians and foreign investors who want to continue to have faith in our system is that the CJ and all high ranking government officials, who currently have close ties, contacts and social associations with the man of God and any other persons of interest must find new places of worship at least for the time being that investigations are likely to commence, to give us a clear conscience and a massive perception of fairness.

It would also be worthwhile noting at this stage that the office of State Protocol must review all government appointments, and invitations to state events including all commissions, state committees, not forgetting the national board of the new planning committee of the national cathedral and advice the president to remove all such persons until such time that these person have been duly and properly cleared by the appropriate investigative and judicial bodies of the country after diligently, conclusively and exhaustively dealing with the rot that has engulfed our nation.

Anything short of this, will deepen the mounting suspicion of our banking system and erode confidence in our economy making it harder to attract the much needed direct and indirect foreign and local investments.

GHANA MUST COME FIRST TO ALL OF US. WHETHER IN POLITICS, JUDICIARY, BUSSINESS, BANKING, CHURCHES, MOSQUES, MAKOLA MARKET,AGBOGBLOSHIE, ABBOSEY OKAI, KEJETIA, MAGAZINE, WALEWALE MARKET OR KOTOKORABA MARKET.