The Judicial Secretary, Justice Alex Opoku-Acheampong, has confirmed reports that the Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood, has set up a 4 member committee to unravel the mystery surrounding how cocaine kept in the exhibit room at a registrar�s office of a circuit court metamorphosed into Sodium Bicarbonate.
The 4 member committee headed by an Appeal Court Judge, Justice Agnes Dodzi, a High Court Judge, Abdulai Iddrisu, the Chief Judicial Registrar has 7 days within which to submit their report.
Drama unfolded at a Circuit Court in Accra on Tuesday when the 1.8 kilogrammes of cocaine exhibit tendered in evidence to the court got swapped with washing soda leading to the discharge of the accused person Nana Ama Martin, who had been standing trial since 2008 for possessing narcotics.
The police and the court are in a blame game leading to a petition to the Chief Justice, Georgina Wood, to also look into her stable for possible culprits.
According to Justice Opoku Acheampong, there will be a Public hearing tomorrow (Thursday) at the Supreme Court because of the importance attached to the issue.
Asked if the 7 days is enough to bring out relevant findings considering how grave the issue is, Justice Opoku Acheampong said: 'We will extend it if it becomes necessary'.
Key figures expected to appear before the committee include the trial judge, Mr Eric Kyei Baffour, the court registrar and other court officials including the police investigators among others.
Meanwhile, a legal practitioner and a member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is cautioning against focusing attention on the Judge who adjudicated on the infamous �washing soda� cocaine case.
Lawyer Chris Ackumey, one of the lawyers who fell out of favour with the Association of Judges and Magistrates for alleging judicial corruption, expressed shock at how such an incident could repeat itself again.
"I am amazed and worried because our country is being taken to a road of destruction with corruption..The issue must be looked at not only from the perspective of the judiciary but the whole country. We shouldn't focus on only the judge but also on those who had custody of the substance..." he said.
Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com
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