Opuni Demands Recusal Of Justice Dotse From Panel Hearing His Case

…Over Suspected Gymnastics

Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COCOBOD, Dr. Stephen Opuni, has filed a request for Justice Jones Dotse, the presiding judge of the five-member Supreme Court panel hearing a review application by the government over the partiality of Justice Clemence Hornyenugah, to recuse himself.

In the application dated October 25, 2021, Dr. Opuni explains that he cannot trust Justice Jones Dotse to be fair and impartial because he may have been tampered with by Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame.

Dame, per a revelation by US-based Ghanaian journalist, Kevin Taylor, held a secret meeting with the judge who is sitting on the Opuni case.

Mr. Taylor alleged that the Attorney General, on October 15, 2021, went to the office of Justice Dotse, and had an extensive meeting with him. 

 “That I state that the said two-hour meeting which, according to the broadcast of the said Kevin Taylor, took place on the said Friday the 15th day of October 2021 after the hearing of the oral arguments on Tuesday the 12th day of October 2021 in respect of the review application leaves me in serious doubts of the impartiality of his Lordship Justice Jones Dotse in the review application and convinces me that the Attorney General intends to use all means to ensure that I am convicted,” Dr. Opuni states in an affidavit attached.

He adds, “That I have been advised by counsel and verily believe same to be true that it is a truism and an established principle of law that justice should not only be done but manifestly and undoubted be seen to be done. Unfortunately, the continuation of Justice Jones Dote will destroy this scared legal cliché. I pray that Justice Jones Dotse is recused as member of the review panel to enable meaning to be given to this legal cliché.”  

The application came less than 24 hours to the Supreme Court giving judgment in the review application filed by the AG, Dame after the apex court had earlier granted an application for Justice Clemence Hornyenuga who was hearing the substantive case to recuse himself due to demonstrated bias.

In the review application, Godfred Dame is asking the Apex court to set aside its July 2021 close call 3-2 decision that barred Justice Clemence Honyenuga from continuing as Judge in the trial.

The Supreme Court’s July 12, 2021 judgment barring Hornyenuga had come after Dr. Opuni’s lawyers had contended the judge was biased and had committed an error of law when he rejected some documents submitted as evidence.

“All these were perpetuated to facilitate the 2nd and 3rd accused’s business and defraud COCOBOD. Indeed these acts were all perpetuated to facilitate and intentionally, voluntarily to aid the 2nd and 3rd accused to perpetrate fraud on COCOBOD by supplying a different product from what was tested and approved.”

The Apex Court, after hearing oral arguments on, October 12, had adjourned proceedings to October 26 to deliver its ruling.

It is in the lead up to their verdict that the Attorney General allegedly met with the presiding judge in secret.

In his application, Dr. Opuni also points out that the Attorney General has publicly politicized his case in which he is facing trial over an alleged financial loss to the state.