National Patriots against Injustice and Corruption Ghana (NAPAIC-Ghana), has responded with great disappointment that they were shocked when the news broke that the Acting Upper East Regional Supervising High Court Judge, Justice Alexander Graham, had been escorted out of the region by the state security apparatus for fear of his life following an attack by unknown persons at his residence on Wednesday, March 15, 2023.
The group further claimed in their press release that, “It is our strong belief that people who supported the cruel and offensive actions of the agents of the Paramount Chief of Talensi, Tongraan Nanlebegtang Kugbilsong, to entrap and influence Justice Alexander Graham might have carried out the attack or the threat (our opinion) on the judge. We humbly ask the security services, notably the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), to quickly put up an intelligence search on the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, this platform has also sighted a publication on A1 radio where the Talensi Traditional Council also claimed they didn’t send the two victims Chief of Baare, Naab Nyakora Mantii, and the Secretary to the Paramount Chief of Talensi, Richard Sunday Yinbil who are currently under a 6-month bond to influence or entrap Bolga High Court Judge.
According to sources available to this platform, Justice Alexander Graham was attacked on Wednesday night which necessitated him to immediately call for security re-enforcement and early dawn on Thursday March 16, he was escorted by the security out of the region.
However, with this sad development, NAPAIC-Ghana has pointed that, “There are fears in the region that Justice Alexander Graham would be transferred from the region in the wake of the attack and this would serve as a bad precedent should he be transferred. This is so because anytime judgement would be given against litigants they would resort to this kind of attack on the judge in the hope that the judge would be transferred. This would also discourage judges from working as independently as they should because anytime they uphold the rule of law, the opposition to the rule would deliberately fight back and the only protection for them is to be transferred. We think this would turn the rule of law on its head and undermine our democracy”.
“We are pleading with the Chief Justice, His Lordship Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, to as a matter of urgency put together firm security measures to protect the life, family and property of Justice Alexander Graham and to help the Upper East Region by keeping Justice Alexander Graham (the man of the moment) so that we the people of the Upper East Region can experience true justice from the Judiciary”.
However, NAPAIC-Ghana has also described the press release by the Talensi Traditional Council signed by Chief of Tindongo, Naab Tampelgsong Kungaadzom as a ‘shameful defence’ insisting that the two were convicted few days ago on their own plea for contempt of court by His Lordship Justice Alexander Graham at the High Court 2 in Bolgatanga.
Kindly read the full press release below:
NAPAIC-GHANA
National Patriots against Injustice and Corruption Ghana
Email Address: napaicgh2014@gmail.com Date: 17th March, 2023.
PRESS STATEMENT
Good evening to you all, ladies and gentlemen of the press. We wish to welcome you to yet another news conference following the one we, members of the National Patriots against Injustice and Corruption Ghana (NAPAIC-Ghana), held last week.
We were shocked yesterday when the news broke that the Acting Upper East Regional Supervising High Court Judge, Justice Alexander Graham, had been escorted out of the region by the state security apparatus for fear of his life.
The news also indicated that there was an attack at his private residence on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, by unknown persons.
Ladies and gentlemen, you would recall that we mentioned to you the last time we met on Friday, March 10, 2023, that Justice Alexander Graham frankly deserved the title “His Lordship” because of the action he took against the Chief of Baare, Naab Nyakora Mantii, and the Secretary to the Paramount Chief of Talensi, Richard Sunday Yinbil, and we recommended that the Chief Justice of Ghana should reward Justice Alexander Graham.
But to our dismay, it was not long after our press conference before the news of the violent attack on Justice Alexander Graham broke and spread. We think this is barbaric, uncalled-for and shameful.
It is our strong belief that people who supported the cruel and offensive actions of the agents of the Paramount Chief of Talensi, Tongraan Nanlebegtang Kugbilsong, to entrap and influence Justice Alexander Graham might have carried out the attack or the threat (our opinion) on the judge. We humbly ask the security services, notably the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), to quickly put up an intelligence search on the perpetrators.
We are pleading with the Chief Justice, His Lordship Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, to as a matter of urgency put together firm security measures to protect the life, family and property of Justice Alexander Graham and to help the Upper East Region by keeping Justice Alexander Graham (the man of the moment) so that we the people of the Upper East Region can experience true justice from the Judiciary.
There are fears in the region that Justice Alexander Graham would be transferred from the region in the wake of the attack and this would serve as a bad precedent should he be transferred. This is so because anytime judgement would be given against litigants they would resort to this kind of attack on the judge in the hope that the judge would be transferred. This would also discourage judges from working as independently as they should because anytime they uphold the rule of law, the opposition to the rule would deliberately fight back and the only protection for them is to be transferred. We think this would turn the rule of law on its head and undermine our democracy.
We respectfully emphasise that Justice Alexander Graham must stay and continue with his good and exemplary work in the interest of the region without fear. This is our request to the Chief Justice.
Release from Talensi Traditional Council
Ladies and gentlemen, after the Chief of Baare and the Secretary to the Tongraan were convicted seven days ago on their own plea for contempt of court by His Lordship Justice Alexander Graham at the High Court 2 in Bolgatanga, it has come to our notice that the Talensi Traditional Council has put up a defence to the shameful act perpetrated by the convicted persons.
The defence is contained in a release dated 17th March 2023, and signed by the Chief of Tindongo, Naab Tampelgsong Kungaadzom.
We state categorically that the action of the two agents of the Tongraan was a plot to entrap and influence Justice Alexander Graham. The reasons are:
(i) Their visit to the judge’s chambers constitutes ex-parte communication because they were interested in mining-related cases that are before the judge for hearing;
(ii) The invitation to the judge through the agents to the Tongraan Nanlebegtang Kugbilsong also constitutes entrapment. Inviting the judge to his palace to discuss mining-related suits before the judge constitutes ex-parte communication which is unethical;
(iii) Their visit to the chambers with such a message is nothing but an entrapment and an attempt to influence the decisions of Justice Alexander Graham on those cases.
In their press release, they listed land cases said to have been referred by Justice Charles Wilson Adjei and Justice Alexander Graham of High Court 1 and High Court 2 respectively to the Tongraan to attempt a settlement as their basis to commit themselves to contemptuous actions. Judges normally look into the merit of a case as well as the relationship between a plaintiff and a defendant in referring matters to chiefs, traditional landowners, heads of clans and possibly for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). This is a weak and hollow defence.
We want to reiterate the saying that nobody is above the law. So, the arrest, handcuffing and search of suspects are normal within law enforcement agencies. During the search, cell phones were found on the agents of the Tongraan who turned out to be accused persons. Cell phones are considered gadgets.
We see their attempts to defend the actions of the two convicted persons as face-saving and a dangerous way to do damage control.
We end by asking the Ghana Police Service to investigate the attack on the judge and to interrogate the convicted persons and the Tongraan.
Zumah Tii-roug (NAPAIC-Ghana member and recorder)
Akobulgo Zotipeliba Ayeo
Vice-President, NAPAIC-Ghana.
PRESS CONFERENCE BY NAPAIC-GHANA 17TH MARCH 2023
Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana
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