Former Appeals Court Judge Takes On Mahama For Describing Judiciary As Corrupt

• A retired judged of the Court of Appeal has disagreed with John Mahama's comments that the Supreme Court was corrupt
• Justice Isaac Douse said Mr Mahama was doing the whole nation a disservice with such comments
• He said in the past, well-intentioned people have committed grave mistakes because they had a narrow view of the Judiciary

A former justice of the Court of Appeal has taken on former President John Mahama for suggesting that the Supreme Court is corrupt because it reflects badly on the country.

Justice Isaac Douse said the Judiciary is broad, so it is misplaced to bundle the entire system as corrupt.

“It is difficult to agree with [Mahama] on the soiled image of the Judiciary. The Judiciary has a range from the magistrate court all the way to the supreme court. From what I’ve read, he has a problem with the Supreme Court and the cases that they took there and history has shown us something that we should not do too frequently,” he told Class FM.

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Former President Mahama had said at a conference of lawyers of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Sunday, August 28, that the Judiciary has now become [a joke] because of biased rulings.

“The phrase, ‘go to court’ is, these days, met with derisive laughter, instead of hope that one will truly get justice if he went to the court,” the former president said.

However, in a sharp rebuttal, the former appeals court judge said some great statesmen have in the past took unfortunate decisions because they had misconceived the Judiciary.

“In 1970 one of the highest proclaimed democrats in this country, Kofi Abrefa Busia after he lost a case in court went on the radio and announced that no court can compel the government to follow its decision. It was a very poor decision and we must be very careful on how we make some of these decisions,” he said.

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Justice Douse said the Supreme Court is a critical part of Ghana, so dragging it into the mud affects everybody.

Former President Mahama Suggests Ghana's Judiciary Image Has Deteriorated So Badly That People Have Lost Hope

YEN.com.gh reported in a previous story that former President Mahama is advocating for a new Chief Justice to help restore the public trust and confidence in the Judiciary.

According to him, the current perceived bias of the country's justice system is an existential threat to its democracy.

The comments of the former President follow widespread criticisms of the country's judges and magistrates in the adjudication of cases. Not left out of this criticism are the Lord Justices of the Supreme Court, who some have nicknamed the 'Unanimous SC' after the unanimity in their rulings on political cases involving the opposition NDC.

Source: YEN.com.gh