A committee set up by the Chief Justice acting in her administrative capacity as constitutionally mandated to investigate allegations of abuse of office by the beleaguered CHRAJ boss has established a preliminary prima facie case against her.
Removal From Office As a result, Ms Lamptey is expected to be subjected to full-blown investigation a move that can lead to her eventual removal from office if adverse findings are made against her.
Petitioner Richard Nyamah, a leading member of Progressive Nationalist Forum (PNF), a civil society group, who broke the news about the Chief Justice’s action in a release said, “I am delighted in a measure, I suppose the entire nation would, to learn that Her Ladyship the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood, has made a prima facie case on my petition for the removal of the Commissioner of the CHRAJ from office.”
He said his counsel, Samson Lardy Ayenini’s chambers, received the official communication from the office of the Chief Justice, signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Alex B. Poku-Acheampong, about the decision to further investigate Ms Lamptey for allegedly abusing her office as CHRAJ boss.
He said the 24-page report noted that the petition was grounded on “acts of serious misconduct, inappropriate exercise of office, serious misjudgment, breaches of laws and public trust.”
Mr Nyamah said the preliminary investigation took into consideration the accompanying exhibits as well as a response provided by Ms Lamptey before concluding that “While duly recognizing that this finding is not conclusive of guilt, it is gratifying to cross this critical hurdle in the impeachment process.”
According to Mr Nyamah, the report said “The Hon Lady Chief Justice in compliance with Article 146(4) of the 1992 Constitution, is therefore in the process of setting up a committee to investigate the compliant.”
Suspension The petitioner made a passionate appeal to President John Mahama not to miss the opportunity to suspend the CHRAJ boss once the Chief Justice had established that Ms Lamptey has some questions to answer.
“President John Mahama is humbly remind- ed that the coast is now clear and urged to act on the earlier appeal to him to consider exercising his Article 146 (10) (b) constitutional powers to suspend Ms Lamptey pending investigations.
“This has become even more important over news that she has not only lost the requisite moral standing to preside over matters of human rights abuse and administrative injustices but has also brought CHRAJ’s reputation into serious question internationally,” Mr Poku-Acheampong underscored.
Ms Lamptey’s Reaction The CHRAJ boss in a reaction expressed her disappointment in the Chief Justice for the prima facie findings.
She said in a statement that “I’m very disappointed by the fact that the Chief Justice has determined that a prima facie case has been established against me, which therefore needs further investigation. "I have every respect for our constitutional processes and full confidence in both this process and the recently completed Special Purpose Audit into my accommodation arrangements.”
She expressed optimism that she would be cleared of any wrongdoing when she finally submits her evidence to the yet to be instituted investigative committee.
“I, therefore, welcome the opportunity which such an investigation offers, to present my side of the story in an open and transparent manner and to clear my name of the accusations which have been levelled at me over the past several weeks in the media and by the petitioners," she added.
Allegations The CHRAJ Commissioner was accused of reckless dissipation of state
funds for taking accommodation at a hotel for several months. She reportedly spent $148,000 on her 33-month rent and an additional $180,000 on renovating her official residence.
CHRAJ was said to have paid close to $5,000 monthly rent on her plush AU Village apartment for 33 months an expenditure that caused public outrage. Apart from the issue of accommodation, the CHRAJ boss has been accused of absenting herself from work.
The source that broke the initial story claimed she hardly stepped into the office and most of the work was done by her deputies, adding that the lack of leadership at CHRAJ had accounted for the dwindling role of the commission in the administration of justice.
“She only goes to the office for reimbursement of expenses made and has not visited majority of the commission’s regional and district offices since she assumed office,” the source said.
n’s internal meetings and is more interested in international human rights invitations where allowances and remunerations are far better,” the source added. $105,000 On Trips Ms Lamptey is also accused of spending an amount of $105,000 on her official foreign trips within two years.
According to media reports, a significant part of the expenses is in relation to ticket upgrades to business class, although organisers of the international conferences she attended made provision for economy class tickets.
The Commissioner makes an average of three trips in a month since her appointment in 2011, according to reports.
Official Residence A couple of months after the story broke, she continued to lodge at the hotel and only moved to her official residence at the Airport Residential Area in Accra recently to the chagrin of the public.
She indicated on November 26 that she had just checked out of the hotel, saying, “I wanted to let you know that I moved out of the hotel and into the official residence on
Wednesday.
This move was scheduled a week ago; before the Daily Graphic wrote about it,” she said in response to the newspaper report that she was still lodging at the hotel. “I don’t appreciate the impression created by the paper that I was deliberately flouting a request from the Chief Justice or ignoring a deadline. That is not true,” she complained.
by: Daily Guide
No comments:
Post a Comment