Far from damaging the judiciary, the exposure of judges alleged to have engaged in acts of corruption - in the investigation carried out by the Tiger Eye investigative team led by the brilliant Anas Amereyaw Anas - will, in the long-term, help restore public confidence in Ghana's judiciary.
From the bottom-rung grade of magistrate, to the senior-most judges of the highest court in Ghana, the Supreme Court, there are over 300 judges in our nation, who regularly preside over cases countrywide, in the law courts.
The vast majority of them are upright individuals. Many proved themselves to be principled and honest judges - when they unknowingly interacted with the Tiger Eye investigative team.
That is why it is so important to put the results of the Tiger Eye investigations in its proper perspective: Less than 40 of the over 300 judges in Ghana were alleged to have accepted bribes from the Tiger Eye investigators
By and large, we have a justice system that though poorly-resourced, often serves the ends of justice. We should be proud that we have a democracy in which the media can expose corrupt judges - to enable the system root them out: and strengthen the core ethical values underpinning our justice system.
The Judicial Council has already queried the judges exposed by Anas Amereyaw Anas - and they have already submitted their responses to same. They remain suspended until the final determination of the matter.
There is no danger to society that they will be able to continue delivering judgements that are a travesty of justice - such as that scandalous judgement, which freed the scoundrel Woyome, and resulted in his not having to pay any interest on the Ghc 51million, which he swindled from taxpayers, and was ordered to repay.
The Judicial Council is also carrying out investigations to discover the court officials who allegedly played leading roles in facilitating the bribing of the suspended judges. The message there is that court officials perverting the course of justice will always be dealt with, when discovered.
That clearly proves that the justice delivery system is not broken. It actually works - despite its many challenges. In the end, through due process, all those found guilty of accepting bribes in the Tiger Eye investigation, will get their just deserts - and our nation will be rid of many of the bad nuts corrupting Ghana's justice delivery system. Perfect.
In the fullness of time, we will come to realise that in exposing corruption in the judiciary, Anas Amereyaw Anas helped Ghanaians to begin, in earnest, the fight to end the impunity that enables dishonest individuals, in the top strata of Ghanaian society, to escape justice when they flout the nation's laws.
The exposure of corruption in the judiciary will definitely enhance Ghanaian democracy's global reputation yet further - not damage it. This scandal has demonstrated to the world that so deep and strong are the roots of Ghanaian democracy that not even the strongest gale-force-winds-of-corruption can topple our democratic system. Jolly good show, Anas. Thanks!
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