This will be my fourth instalment on this subject. Yes, and it does appear I will have more than enough evidence or stories to keep to this subject all year, if I elect to stay on it.
I have shown that it is untrue that we need more laws to fight corruption in Ghana. I have shown that, beyond the grandstanding lip-service, political leadership is simply not committed. I have shown that key anti-graft institutions are largely compromised through some of the individuals working in them.
Today, I show how you and I are equally guilty. I have parked my car at the former cocoa affairs court now turned into a temporary car park. Payment is not automated. The workers often take the GHC 30.00 (now increased) without issuing a receipt. They sometimes tell you to give just any amount and drive away. No! I insist on the receipt.
I know you prefer to part with that small amount rather than challenge that police officer stopping you over a purported traffic offence. Yes, even where you are actually guilty, you would rather pay the bribe “spot fine” he or she demands and move on, to avoid having to be dragged to court to “waste your time” over it, right?
Remember the judges Anas caught on tape selling justice? I say this without qualification for those subsequently found guilty and dismissed. A client called me to ask if I had checked the list of those caught.
He was elated because his wife had told him one of those involved was one we had suspected had been compromised in his case which was eventually settled by way of a pre-emptive strike. Two officers of the court had told him he will lose the case.
Certain conduct of the judge confirmed the suspicion this wealthy contractor had “sorted him out”, including chancing upon him walk out of the judge’s chambers one early morning and openly throw quite a bit of GHC 50 notes at the clerks.
I had a rather shocking similar experience much earlier in my practice, and I am unable to narrate the bizarre story except to note happily that I would later find this was the same judge who was then not in Accra. Anas and his team did their bit and the Chief Justice and her team finished it beautifully. How about you?
A very popular MP a couple of weeks ago got a hardworking professional police officer punished with a transfer that will disorganise his family life and also meant this officer couldn’t continue with a life-time dream degree program he had started here in Accra.
His crime was simply that he had ensured strict enforcement of the law by seizing equipment that was used for an illegal broadcast business. This is a business whose owners had admitted their wrong in court and paid money to settle the case but returned clandestinely to continue the illegality.
This MP who used his influence to back this Kumasi-based business owner, publicly threatened this officer he would be transferred in seven days if he didn’t obey his orders to return evidence gathered for an ongoing prosecution.
It took a senior lawyer’s petition to the Speaker and leaders of Parliament, the Council of State etc about the conduct of this “all-powerful” MP to have the transfer reversed. So, we may not blame the police too much for the obvious inertia exhibited in dealing with a group misconducting itself all over the country in recent times.
But we certainly must pause to examine the long-term consequences of our individual actions that threaten to continue to perpetually weaken the fight against the crime of corruption.
Long ago in 1992, we set an agenda in article 35(8) of our constitution requiring that “The state shall take steps to eradicate corrupt practices and the abuse of power.” Where are we with this agenda?
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Samson Lardy ANYENINI
25th March, 2017
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