A Senior State Attorney at the Attorney-General’s Office, Bolgatanga, Emmanuel Otoo-Boison, has been dismissed for receiving money from a witness, to influence a bail application in favour of an accused.
His dismissal takes effect from December 24, 2020, according to a statement, copied the Ghanaian Times, by the Public Relations Unit of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice.
Mr Otoo-Boison was sacked after a disciplinary committee set up to investigate his conduct recommended his dismissal on grounds that his action constituted a major misconduct per Regulation 94 (2) of the Legal Service Regulations, 2014 (L. I. 2210).
In 2019, Mr Samuel Adeti, an investigative journalist of the EIB Network, submitted a documentary (video) titled “Justice for Sale” to the Office of the Attorney-General for investigation.
Following that, the Legal Service Board at its meeting, held on November 4, 2019, referred Mr Otoo-Boison to the disciplinary committee for investigation.
The committee which was constituted to investigate the allegations of misconduct, completed its work and submitted its report to the Legal Service Board.
The committee carefully considering the evidence adduced, established that Mr Otoo-Boison, on his own confession, accepted money from the second witness.
“This was meant to influence him in a bail application against an accused person,” the committee said.
According to the committee, Mr Otoo-Boison subtly attempted to extort money from another witness in the case.
The Legal Service Board at its meeting in September, 2020, adopted the report of the disciplinary committee and the recommendations.
A copy of the disciplinary committee’s report was forwarded to Mr. Otoo-Boison in September, 2020, in accordance with Regulation 120(2) of L. I. 2210.
Otoo-Boison was interdicted pending investigation into his alleged conduct.
Subsequently, counsel for Mr Otoo-Boison, Mr. Edward Kwadwo Oppong, filed an appeal against the recommendations in the report of the disciplinary committee to the Legal Service Board.
The Legal Service Board on November 30, 2020, after carefully considering the appeal found no merit in same and accordingly dismissed the appeal.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
