Veteran journalist, Kweku Baako Jnr believes Appeal’s Court judge, Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga, injured his own integrity when he publicly endorsed President Akufo-Addo for another term in office
According to Mr. Baako, what the judge did is nothing short of “unwarranted sycophancy”.
Justice Honyenuga is among three persons who have been nominated by the President to be considered for appointment to the Supreme Court.
“If I were to advise the president; if I had the opportunity I will say, Sir drop him,” Mr. Baako stressed.
Justice Clemence Honyenuga, who doubles as the Paramount Chief of Nyagbo Traditional Area with the stool name Torgbui Ashui Nyagasi V, endorsed the president at a durbar in late February 2020.
“It is our hope that with your vision and special gains you have made in the economy in your first term, Ghanaians may consider giving you another four years,” he said.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on Thursday, Kweku Baako suggested that Justice Honyenuga failed on both scores as a judge and a chief with his comments.
“To be honest with you, I had a serious issue with the way the judge/chief, he is a hybrid, went about it. what he did was totally against the code of ethics for judges and magistrates,” Mr. Baako who is the Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide analysed.
Aside going against ethics of his profession as a judge, his pronouncements go against constitutional injunction relative to chiefs and what they do in politics, he explained.
“It was completely wrong, it was needless, indiscreet and I am being charitable, choosing my words carefully.”
As a chief, the ace journalist who has a soft spot for the sitting president said, you can praise an administration, the president, or the minister for bringing development projects to your community and even ask for more.
“But the very moment you go beyond that framework and endorse a candidate, whether a sitting president or a former president or a parliamentary candidate, you are wrong, completely wrong,” he stressed.
“It is completely needless, it amounts to sycophancy, unwarranted sycophancy, unsolicited endorsement. I cannot stand it; I have to be honest with you. So let’s be clear in our mind, the chief/judge, the hybrid, erred, completely.”
Mr. Baako expects the Appointments Committee of Parliament to “drill and grill him on this faux pas”.
He wants them to particularly find out if he is aware of the code of ethics for judges and how he reconciles that with his action.
“I was going to say skin him apart, but that is unfair language,” he chipped in.
Justice Honyenuga has been sitting as additional High Court judge in the state’s criminal case against former COCOBOD boss, Dr. Stephen Opuni and businessman Seidu Agongo who have been accused of causing financial loss to the state.
Meanwhile, lawyers of Dr. Opuni have filed a motion at the Appeal’s Court asking Justice Clemence Honyenuga to recuse himself from the case.
Read: Justice Honyenuga halts trial as motion to remove him from Opuni-Agongo case is filed
By Isaac Essel | 3news.com | Ghana