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Bolgatanga High Court convicts Tongraan’s Secretary, Baare chief for attempting to influence a judge

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Two individuals, Richard Sunday Yinbil, Secretary to the Paramount Chief of the Talensi traditional area, Tongraan Kugbilsong Nanlebegtang, and Naab Nyakora Mantii, the chief of Baare in the Talensi district of the Upper East Region were charged with contempt for an act the court said was an attempt to influence a judge.

The two, on Friday, March 10, 2023, walked into the Bolgatanga High Court 2, and sought permission to meet the Acting Upper East Regional Supervising High Court Judge, His Lordship Alexander Graham.

But when they were granted permission, the two met the judge and, after introducing themselves, told the judge that they were sent by the paramount chief of Talensi.

Their mission was that they were sent by Tongraan to invite the judge to his palace to discuss some mining cases in the Talensi district. 

But that angered the judge who suspected the supposed meeting with the overload of Talensi could be an entrapment to sway his position on the case he was presiding over.

The judge walked the two out of his chambers and ordered their arrest. The two, Baare chief, Naab Nyakora Mantii, and Secretary to Tongraan, Richard Sunday Yinbil were immediately handcuffed and dragged before the court upon the order of the judge. 

The scene attracted many people who were in the court to observe other cases. The two individuals were asked to mount the witness box, swear an oath, and tell the entire crowd gathered in the courtroom about what they told the judge in his chambers.

They then narrated that they were only messengers sent by the paramount chief of Talensi to invite the judge to his palace to discuss a land case in his community. But the already-angry judge reiterated his stance that he had given several warnings against people visiting him at home or in his chambers.

The tendency, according to the judge, could be to influence his ruling on matters, a situation that had happened in the Upper East Region before.

The acting Upper East Regional Supervising High Court Judge, His Lordship Alexander Graham, who considered their act as a trap, charged Naab Nyakora Mantii and Richard Sunday Yinbil with contempt of court.

The drama in the courtroom of the Bolgatanga High Court 2 was witnessed by some lawyers who were there to attend to different cases. These lawyers intervened on behalf of the two and pleaded with the judge to temper justice with mercy by not serving the culprits a custodial sentence. 

The two accused persons were then asked to sign a bond of six months and to be of good behaviour. The judge directed that the bond be signed before the Upper East Regional Police Command. 

When A1 Radio’s Joshua Asaah contacted Richard Sunday Yinbil, on his side of the issue, the secretary of Tongraan refused to speak on tape but admitted that they were sent to deliver a message to the judge.’

Had it not been for the intervention of some prominent lawyers in the courtroom, Mr. Yinbil said he and the Baare chief would have been thrown into jail.

Mr. Yinbil who corroborated the details entirely as captured in this report said he was handcuffed together with the Baare chief. 

The secretary to the Talensi paramountcy, who looked disturbed while narrating his ordeal to this reporter, said the experience he went through was one he will never forget in his entire life.

On the same day that the drama took place at the Bolgatanga High Court 2, a civil society group known as the National Patriots against Injustice and Corruption Ghana (NAPAIC-Ghana) held a press conference in that regard. 

The purpose of the press conference was necessary to the leaders of NAIPAIC-Ghana because they were “happy to share this good news from the circles of justice to you, dubbed “The Judicial Service is Working.” 

Read by Zumah Tii-roug, NAPAIC-Ghana member and recorder, the group described Justice Alexander Graham, the Acting Upper East Regional Supervising High Court Judge as deserving of the noble title “His Lordship”.

While commending the judge for a bold decision to have ever been taken by a judge in the Upper East Region, the members of NAIPAC have therefore appealed to the Chief Justice to reward His Lordship Alexander Graham for his stand against injustice.  

“We also would love to suggest to the Chief Justice of Ghana to identify good judges like His Lordship Alexander Graham and award them enormously to serve as motivation for others to emulate and to make the vulnerable also receive deserved justice when the need arises.”

Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Bolgatanga

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