Facts Are Sacred (2)

Alban Bagbin

Even as students of journalism, one of the first lessons in first year journalism class is the admonishment by your lecturer to refrain from commenting on cases before the courts because it is sub judice.

Unfortunately, the values that made our country strong have been sacrificed for political expediency. It is our view that our politicians shed the extreme partisan political garb and demonstrate the expression of patriotism to promote our democracy.

We were therefore shocked to hear the comments of the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Alban Bagbin and the Dormaahene who incidentally is a judge and knows the law better. He was speaking at a lecture to commemorate late President Atta Mills and therefore he moved to make a political statement.

Speaking during a visit to state-run Daily Graphic last week, Mr. Bagbin said there is selective justice in relation to the Gyakye Quayson case because there are many more people who have the same issues as Gyakye Quayson but are not being prosecuted. Is Mr. Bagbin telling us that there are others in Parliament with the same problem and he as the Speaker has not called them out to be sanctioned?

With due respect can we say the Speaker is condoning wrongdoing?  In the case of the Dormaahene, let us ask him whether he was in the country when Adamu Sakande was tried and jailed, and if he was in the country, why did he not ask then Attorney General to discontinue the case? The comments of the Speaker and Dormaahene cannot be devoid of the kind of partisan politics we are engaged in and that is support our own even if they have erred. Please will you come to the defence of an MP who is an NPP person?

We want Ghanaians in positions of trust to help our democracy to endure by holding one of its pillars, the rule of law. Nobody is above the law, and therefore those who breach our laws must face prosecution. In this particular instance, we ask the Speaker and Dormaahene to come again and use their privileged positions to deepen the rule of law to sustain our democracy.

 

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