The Trial Judge, His Lordship Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, in the criminal case pending at the High Court Accra, entitled Republic verses William Ato Essien and 2 others, has corrected some misleading reportage in the media of the recent proceedings in Court on December 1, 2022.
In a Press Release signed by the Judicial Secretary, Pamela Addo JA, there have been publications by various media houses to the effect that:
“At the proceedings of the court on Thursday, 1 December, 2022, the trial Judge stated, that the State was compromised in the matter of the agreement entered into with the 1st accused person, subject to the acceptance of the court and in pursuance of section 35 of the Court Act, 1993 (Act 459)”.
Meanwhile, the trial Judge in clarifying these reportage and misrepresentations of the proceedings indicated that “no statement in the media reports referred to the above, or imputing misconduct on the part of officials of the State, was made by the court either on 1st December 2022 or throughout the trial of the case.”
He also indicated that “He (the trial Judge) enquired from one of the defence lawyers whose client has been charged with offenses of abetment and conspiracy, whether the terms of the agreement entered between the State and the 1st accused would not compromise the position of the other accuses persons.”