AT LONG last the perception that the judiciary may be indulging in fraudulent and corrupt practices has been accepted by the Parliament Select Committee on the Judiciary, according to chairman, Hon. Kwame Osei Prempeh.

Osei Prempeh, who is on a nationwide tour with Committee Members to sound out the views of a cross-section of Ghanaians on the perception, said though they had not at yet visited the Central and Volta Regions, the information at his disposal is enough for him to declare the Judiciary as corrupt.

?The tour has proved to me, that, the perceived idea, that the Judiciary is corrupt is real and very clear,? said Osei Prempeh, who is the MP for Nsuta Kwaman.

In a Radio Gold interview, Osei Prempeh made it clear that, some of the information received so far point to naked corruption: lawyers collecting with their clients; lawyers collecting with other lawyers,? lawyers collecting monies, Judges collecting with lawyers; lack of transparency and supervision on cases pending at the AG?s department, among others.

Questioned whether the Chief Justice knew of what he deems is currently going on, Osei Prempeh said ?the Chief Justice has lamented badly and very soon the culprits involved will be dismissed. I know that can help improve the image of the Judiciary.

?After the tour, all lawyers who matter in the job will be talked to on the way forward for the Judiciary.?

Osei Prempeh emphasised that all stakeholders in the legal system ? the Ghana Bar Association, Judges etc ? will undergo a three-day seminar on the way forward at the appropriate time.

Contacted for his comments on the matters, Mr. Jones Venght Mensah of Lamps Chambers in Kumasi, said it was a good initiative taken by the chairman of the Judiciary Select Committee and urged the Chief Justice to go ahead with the dismissals of those who will be found guilty.

Lawyer Bonsu of Sunyani, said it is a good adventure and suggested that to completely halt malpractices, the Attorney-General and the government must be prepared to weed out those involved in the full glare of the public. He also advised clients to desist from pushing lawyers with money, as it does not auger well for our democracy.

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