JUDGE CRIES FOUL

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday April 3, 2008
JUSTICE Beatrice Agyeman-Bempah, a High Court Judge, has protested to the Judicial Council what she sees as injustice being meted to her by the Judicial Service in respect of promotion and even working facilities.

“By promoting my juniors over my head creates the impression that I am a daft and corrupt judge. I put my reputation on the line and challenge the Judicial Service to prove otherwise,” she said in a petition to the Judicial Chairman of the Judicial Council and copied to the Chief Justice.

The petition, dated March 28, under the title: “Re:Petition/Protest in respect of the injustice meted out to me by the Judicial Service,” was also copied to Justice Stephen Alan Brobbey of the Supreme Court, Justice Iris May Brown of the Court of Appeal and Justice Vice Ofoe, all members of the Judicial Council, as well as the media.

Attached to the petition were also copies of her correspondence with the service since 2004.

Justice Agyeman-Bempah wrote: “I have been compelled by this injustice to write this petition/protest to vindicate my honour and good name. I would have worked here as staff of the Judicial Service by July 4, 2008 for 31 years. I have been treated unfairly and shabbily by the service in respect of promotion and working facilities.”

She said although she was one of the judges who originated the Fast Track Courts, she was removed as a judge of the court despite the fact that she was the most senior High Court Judge in Ghana.

She said she decided to retire voluntarily in 2004 at the age of 60 but she was prevailed upon to rescind her decision which she did reluctantly.

The judge further alleged that the late Chief Justice, G.K. Acquah, prevented her from returning to the service and it took President Kufuor to intervene before she could go back.

She also said the late Justice E.K. Wiredu nominated her in October 2002 to represent the High Court judges at the Judicial Council because she was the most senior but some High Court judges later on wrote to Justice Acquah that they did not elect her as their representative, even though they admitted that she was once the President of the Association of Judges and Magistrates of Ghana.

She said although her colleagues’ protest letter was not addressed to her but to the late Chief Justice, “I honourably resigned as a member of the Judicial Council”.

She said when she resigned, the late Justice Acquah “cleverly sent circulars to the High Court judges to nominate a representative to the Judicial Council. Later, we got circulars to the effect that Justice Ofoe has been nominated as our representative. We were not given any feedback but he was seconded”.

Justice Agyeman-Bempah said “even though I was the most senior and still is, I was sent to the Regional Tribunal Court premises, where dust and mud are the hallmark of the place. Yet my juniors were sitting in automated, air conditioned courts at the Fast Track and Commercial Courts.

“I am presently at court 22 at Cocoa Affairs where water does not flow and I have to fetch water daily to be used there.

“I have been reliably informed that the Appointment Committee has an unwritten code that if you are a High Court judge and you have not been promoted before 60 years of age, you lose any consideration.

“My main file is missing, yet no one has been queried over its disappearance. One wonders what kind of criteria are used in promotions. I write this petition/protest to redeem my good name for a good name is better than riches and promotions”.