‘If The Chief Justice Took A Bribe, Why Did He Rule Against Us’? – Akoto Ampaw Responds To Lawyer Africa’s Allegations

Lawyer Akoto Ampaw has described the allegations made by Kumasi-based Lawyer Kwasi Afrifa as infantile and preposterous.

Mr Afrifa is currently facing disciplinary proceedings after his client, Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta VI had sought the assistance of the General Legal Council to retrieve  $75,000 from him.

The Traditional ruler alleges that Mr Afrifa had asked for an amount of $100,000 to undertake “ways and means” to secure a favourable court judgement.

The ruler adds that after realising Mr Afrifa was not going to carry out this “ways and means” agenda, he demanded a refund and has since collected $25,000 from the lawyer.

However, in responding to the claims made by Ogyeedom against him, Lawyer Afrifa made counter claims against the Chief Justice, claiming Ogyeedom himself had informed him that he was going to pay a bribe of 5 million dollars to the Chief Justice.

Lawyer Afrifa also alleged that as part of the ways and means, the Chief Justice had asked Ogyeedom to drop his legal team and appoint Lawyer Akoto Ampaw to handle his case.

However, Mr Ampaw has in a statement hit strongly at Mr Afrifa accusing him of perhaps having his own diabolical reasons for mentioning his name in the matter.

“Lawyer Afrifa must have his own diabolical reasons for trying to implicate me in this crazy judicial bribery scandal, which manifestly does not add up. That is his problem.”

Mr Ampaw stated the following:

“1. Some time at the end of July 2020, Ogyeedom came to see me at our offices at Kojo Thompson Road, Adabraka, Accra, with a request that he wanted me to take over the prosecution of his case in the Supreme Court. I indicated that it would be foolhardy on my part to take over a case before the Supreme Court that was to be heard in some two to three days’ time. I, therefore, urged him to still rely on his current legal team in the pending application and, if thereafter, he still wanted my professional services, I would be ready to hear him out.

2. Sometime later, during the legal vacation, last year, Ogyeedom came back to consult with me, and, with much reluctance, I agreed to take up the brief, upon the very clear understanding that if he wanted me to take up the case because he thought I was politically connected or had friends within the judiciary, then he was at the wrong place, as I did not carry on my work as a lawyer by such dishonourable means. Indeed, I have had to make similar caveat to many potential clients when they seek my professional services, as, alas, these days, virtually everything seems to be for sale in our country and ethical standards have gone to the dogs. Fortunately, my junior, Nicholas Lenin Anane Agyei, was present in my office when I laid out this standard for my professional relationship with Ogyeedom, and he can testify to same.

2. Eventually I agreed to take up the brief and filed notice of change of lawyer in the Supreme Court sometime in October. I have since been in the Supreme Court on a few occasions in respect of the matter to move an application to adduce new evidence in response to the Court’s grant of an earlier application by the appellant to adduce new evidence.

On March 31, 2021, the Supreme Court granted our application by a four to one ruling. Incidentally, the Chief Justice, who, according to lawyer Afrifa’s yarn, wanted me to be engaged as a lawyer in the matter to facilitate an outcome favourable to my client, was the dissenting judge out of a panel of five. The records are there for anyone to access, including the media.”

Source: Ghanafeed.Com