Tsatsu: If Every Critical Observation Of A Judge’s Conduct Is Contempt, Then Some Courts Are All In Contempt

Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata has expressed disappointment in Ex-President J.A Kufour for describing as “unacceptable and unwarranted” his comments on Justice Anin-Yeboah. Alluding to some previous incidents where members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) hurled invectives on President John Mahama, he wondered why Ex-President Kufour would issue a cautioning statement to him when he (President Kufour) failed to address the misconduct of his party members. In his view, his comments were not similar to the kinds of vile attacks which were perpetrated by the opposition party members on the persona of the President. “Has he assessed the way in which President Mahama has received the violent insult, the most demeaning language being a thief and so on, since December 2012? Has he expressed that as a threat to the stability of the country and has he commented on it?” he questioned President Kufour. Speaking in an interview with Radio Gold, he also held strongly that his remarks were harmless and thus, he only sought to make an objective observation about Justice Anin-Yeboah who he claimed lacked judicial balance in his judgement over the just-ended election petition at the Supreme Court. According to him, he is not liable for contempt because “if every critical observation of a Judge’s conduct makes you liable for contempt, then I think courts which reversed lower courts on appeal are all in contempt of court. I don’t think there’s any basis for some of these comments.” Also quoting from Luke chapter 12 which he stated as “there’s nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight and what you have whispered in the inner room will be proclaimed from the roof,” Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata pledged to unveil the truth.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana