Victoria Hammah, former deputy Minister for Communications
The committee set up by the Chief Justice to investigate allegations by Victoria Hammah that the Justices of the Supreme Court were compromised in giving their verdict on the election petition has been dismissed.
According to the Committee, the case was dismissed because the allegations lacked evidence.
The petition by the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie which necessitated the investigations has equally been dismissed.
In a letter dated 23 December 2013, addressed to Mr. Owusu Afriyie signed by the General Secretary of the Judicial Council Justice, B. A.Opoku Acheampong stated that there was no evidence available to prove the allegations.
“There was no evidence available to it to prove the allegations by Victoria Hammah that Hon. Nana Oye Lithur influenced some or all the justices of the Supreme Court who sat on the presidential election petition or broke a rule in the outcome of the case. The statement could not be substantiated and therefore dismissed.”
This was the final recommendation of the committee despite the refusal of the principal actor Victoria Hammah to appear before the committee after three invitations were extended to the former deputy Communications Minister to aid in investigations.
Miss Hammah was heard on a leaked tape alleging that Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, met with the Justices of the Supreme Court before the final verdict on the election petition.
The Committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge, Professor Justice Kofi Date-Baah in its two week investigation summoned Nana Oye Lithur and Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie who duly appeared.
But in an interview with Citi News, Mr. Owusu Afriyie said even though he was satisfied with the work of the committee, the substantive allegations made by Victoria Hammah can not be swept under the carpet.
“This matter can never be washed away, it will never go. Victoria Hammah having failed to appear before the committee and having failed to deny the comments she made….; I am of the candid view that it leaves the matter very fresh as the day we first heard it,” he said.
Source: Citifmonline.com