National Security chases Ajet-Nasam as he fails to appear before committee
The National Security has mounted an intensive search for Mr Justice John Ajet-Nasam, one of the implicated High Court judges caught on video allegedly taking bribe to pervert justice.
Advertisement
The search follows the persistent failure of the indicted judge to appear before the Judicial Committee investigating the conduct of the seven judges who have been suspended.
Mr Justice Ajet-Nasam was billed to appear before the committee on Monday and Tuesday but neither he nor his lawyer showed up.
Besides, he reportedly also failed to turn up at the Police Headquarters, where he and other High Court judges had been invited for investigations.
Highly placed security sources told the Daily Graphic that security outfits within the country had been alerted to be on the look out for Mr Ajet-Nasam, who is believed to be outside the country currently.
It would be recalled that Mr Justice Ajet-Nasam was the judge who sat on the case involving Alfred Agbesi Woyome, the businessman who was accused of making fraudulent claims and defrauding the state of GH¢51.2 million.
Substituted service
The Disciplinary Committee was compelled to issue a substituted service via the media on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 on the judge, given his persistent failure to appear before it.
The hearing notice, signed by the secretary to the committee, was to notify Mr Justice Ajet-Nasam to appear before it on Thursday, October 22, 2015 after a prima facie case had been established against him.
“You are hereby notified that following the prima facie case established against you on allegation of misconduct for: Ex parte discussions with one party on a case pending before you, contrary to Rule 3 (7) and 4 (A) of the (CCJMG); Bribery and corruption, contrary to S. 244 of the Criminal Offences Act and Rule (2) of the (CCJMG).
“And the establishment of the committee to investigate the alleged misconduct, you are to appear before the said committee on Thursday, October 22, 2015 when this matter will come on for hearing at the Conference Room of the Administration Block, Judicial Service, Accra, at 10 a.m,” the notice stated.
It, however, warned the judge to take note that “the committee will proceed on its work if you fail to appear on the said date”.
The notice added that the judge was entitled to call witnesses and to be represented by a lawyer.
Information gathered by the Daily Graphic indicated that notices were sent to the implicated judges, their lawyers and Anas Aremeyaw Anas to appear before the committee on scheduled dates.
Justices F. Opoku, Ernest Obimpeh, Ohene Essel, Ayisi Addo, K. Essel-Mensah and Ivy Heward-Mills are the other judges expected to appear before the committee.
Retired Justices Yaw Ansu-Gyeabour and Mohammed Ahmed Mustapha, who were also caught on the video prior to their retirement, are being investigated by the police.
Timelines
The judges are anticipated to report to the committee from October 19, 2015 to December 11, 2015.
Each of them has been given five days and a total of 30 hours to prove his or her innocence.
They are also to cross-examine Anas, whose Tiger Eye PI team uncovered the biggest scandal to hit the Judiciary.
Thirty-four judges and magistrates, 146 members of staff of the Judicial Service, as well as policemen and state attorneys, were captured on a 500-hour video allegedly taking bribes to subvert justice.
Writer’s email: [email protected]