Why President Akufo-Addo Dismissed ASEPA's Petition Against Chief Justice Anin Yeboah (full text)

The following is the full response of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on the petition by the Executive Director of  Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability ("ASEPA") to get Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah removed from office for alleged bribery.

RE: PETITION TO INVOKE ARTICLE 146 OF THE CONSTITUTION FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE

By an unreferenced letter received at the Office of the President on 13th July, 2021, signed on behalf of Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability ("ASEPA") by Mensah Thompson describing himself as Executive Director, ASEPA, a petition for the removal of the Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, was delivered to my office. Attached to the letter were two documents in support of the petition:

(i) a letter, dated 8th July, 2021, written by a Kwasi Afrifa, Esq. on the letterhead of 0 & A Legal Consult petition; and

(ii) a letter written by the Judicial Secretary, dated 12th July, 2021, requesting the "Ghana Police Service to conduct criminal investigations into a bribery allegation".

ASEPA claims to be "a registered Civil Society organisation based in Ghana with full rights under the laws of Ghana".

By a letter, dated 20th July, 2021, I consulted the Council of State, in accordance with the terms of article 146 (6) and the teachings of the Supreme Court in Agyei-Twum v. Attorney-General and Another [2005-2006] SCGLR 732, in determining whether the petition discloses a prima facie case against the Chief Justice, which determination should precede the appointment of a committee under article 146 (6) of the Constitution.

By a letter, dated 20th August, 2021, the Council of State conveyed to me its conclusions on the consultation as to whether a prima facie case has been established against the Chief Justice.

Accordingly, I make this determination of whether a prima facie case has been established against the Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, to warrant the appointment of a committee u