Justices Kyei Baffour who is presiding over the Republic vrs William Ato Essien and 2 others case has denied media reports that he (judge) accused state officials of compromising themselves in the matter of the agreement entered into with the 1st accused person.
In a statement released in Accra yesterday by the Judicial Service and signed by Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo, the Judicial Secretary, Justice Baffour insisted that the court never made those comments as reported by the media. The following is the full statement.
The attention of the trial Judge, His Lordship Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, in the criminal case pending at the High Court Accra, entitled Republic vrs. William Ato Essien and 2 others, has been drawn to publications by various media houses to the effect that:
“At the proceedings of the court on Thursday, 1stDecember, 2022, the trial Judge stated, that the State was compromised in the matter of the agreement entered into with the 1st accused person, subject to the acceptance of the court and in pursuance of section 35 of the Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459)”.
The trial Judge, would like to correct / clarify the above-stated reportage and place on record that:
- No statement in the nature of the media reports referred to above, or imputing misconduct on the part of officials of the State, was made by the court either on 1st December 2022 or throughout the trial of the case.
- He (the trial Judge) enquired from one of the defence lawyers whose client has been charged with offences of abetment and conspiracy, whether the terms of the agreement entered between the State and the 1st accused would not compromise the position of the other accused persons.
Thank you.
