Ya-Na trial Judge: NDC must stop the useless propaganda

By Kobina Welsing/Citifmonline.com | Mon 23rd August, 2010 12:57 GMT

The Late Ya Na Yakubu Andani

The Judge sitting on the murder case of the late overload of the Dagbon Traditional area Ya Na Yakubu Andani II, has recused himself from the case.
The state earlier filed an application to have the judge replaced because it asserted that the trial judge could not be fair in the proceedings.

Citi News Correspondent, Richard Mensah who was present in court said the Judge, Justice Anthony Oppong was forthright in his pronouncements against the Attorney General and the NDC.

Justice Oppong charged the NDC to desist from the “useless propaganda” against the bench.

According to him, criticisms from members of the NDC towards the bench was weird and unmeritorious since the final judgement were not going to come from him but from members of the jury. He added that he had no control on the jury and could in no way influence their decision on the case.

He added that he decided to recuse himself from the ongoing trial because he does not feel safe as the sitting judge following “the threatening comments” by the NDC party Chairman, Dr. Kwabena Adjei that the government will purge the judiciary if the Chief Justice fails to do so.

Justice Oppong is also demanding an unqualified apology from the Deputy Attorney General, Ebow Barton Oduro, who he claimed  described him (Justice Oppong) as a drunkard.

The Deputy Attorney General has however told Citi News that a motion was filed on Friday, August 20, that prayed the court to remove Justice Oppong as sitting judge for the Ya Na murder case on grounds of clear bias.

The Cape Coast MP also said that he did not call Justice Oppong a drunkard, saying he was misunderstood.