The Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has dismissed a petition brought against Chief Justice Anin Yeboah by Mr Mensah Thompson, the Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA).

Mr Thompson, in his complaint filed at CHRAJ, said parliamentary approval of Justice Anin Yeboah will go contrary to article 286 of the 1992 Constitution because he had refused to disclose his assets and liabilities as required by the 1992 Constitution.

But CHRAJ, after investigating the matter in its report, said the following:

Findings

At the end of the preliminary investigations, the commission finds as a fact that the respondent has complied with article 286 of the constitution by declaring his assets and liabilities to the auditor general.

Decision

Having found out that the respondent had declared his assets and liabilities at the time the allegations were made and having satisfied the conditions for holding that office then, all be it a late submission, what should be the appropriate action that the commissioner should take in respect of the results of the investigation?

The commission is of the considered view that having found that the respondent has complied with article 286, the appropriate action in the circumstances would be to dismiss the complaint as overtaking, unsubstantiated and not made out. The complaint is, accordingly dismissed.

We must add however that the commission recognises that the schedule of a Justice of a Supreme Court and other high-ranking public officials can be very demanding and could sometimes accession lapses in some areas of their work. However, that is not to excuse a person indefinitely from his or her duty under the law.