ATTORNEY–GENERAL vs. SALLAH [1970]DLSC11217

Date	1970-04-17
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1970]DLSC11217

AMISSAH

SIRIBOE

JIAGGE

ANIN AND ACHAER JJ.A

N.Y.B. ADADE

ATTORNEY-GENERAL (WITH HIM DR. S.K. ASANTE

SOLICITOR-GENERAL AND E.E. MENSAH

STATE ATTORNEY) FOR THE APPELLANT. JOE REINDORF (WITH HIM J. B. QUASHIE-IDUN

E.K. AKYEA-DJAMSON AND JAMES QUASHIE-IDUN) FOR THE RESPONDENT.

<p class="mb-5" id="contentDlCitation"  hidden>[1970]DLSC11217</p>
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;color:#00B0F0">ATTORNEY–GENERAL<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;color:#00B0F0">SALLAH</span></b><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;color:#00B0F0"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">[<span class="NoSpacingChar">SUPREME COURT</span>, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span class="NoSpacingChar"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></b></span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 17<sup>TH</sup> APRIL, 1970<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>

</div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">N.Y.B. ADADE, ATTORNEY-GENERAL (WITH HIM DR. S.K.
ASANTE, SOLICITOR-GENERAL AND E.E. MENSAH, STATE ATTORNEY) FOR THE APPELLANT.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">JOE REINDORF (WITH HIM
J. B. QUASHIE-IDUN, E.K. AKYEA-DJAMSON AND JAMES QUASHIE-IDUN) FOR THE
RESPONDENT.</span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

</div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">CORAM:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">AMISSAH,
SIRIBOE, JIAGGE, ANIN AND ACHAER JJ.A.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">&nbsp;</span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">RULING<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">On 21 February 1970 certain office-holders received
notification from the Presidential Commission, acting in pursuance of the
Constitution, 1969, Sched. I, s.9 (1), that their services were no longer
required.&nbsp; The respondent, formerly a manager of the G.N.T.C., was one
such office-holder affected by the said section 9(1).&nbsp; He brought an
action before the Supreme Court for a declaration that on a proper
interpretation of section 9(1) his office fell outside the purview of the
offices contemplated by the section and therefore the Government was wrong in
terminating his employment.&nbsp; The Attorney-General, as the legal
representative of the Government, was made the defendant to the action.&nbsp;
It was heard by a bench composed of Apaloo, Siriboe, Sowah, Anin and Archer
JJ.A. on 16, 17 and 18 March.&nbsp; The court then adjourned to advise itself
of its judgment [see 1970 C.C.48, SC.].&nbsp; On 24 March the Attorney-General
filed the instant motion of notice asking that Apaloo and Sowah JJ.A. be
disqualified from sitting and taking part in the hearing of that case.&nbsp;
The objection against Apaloo and Sowah JJ.A. was based on close personal
friendship with respondent (which was variously described in affidavits filed
in support of the motion as “bosom” or intimate). It was alleged that the
relationship between them was so intimate that it would be difficult, if not
impossible, for him to decide the case impartially.&nbsp; In the case of Sowah
J.A. it was alleged that he had more than a judicial interest in the case in
that after the action of the Presidential Commission, the half-sister of Sowah
J.A. a Mrs. Jonas approached him in tears and asked him to help her husband,
whose employment had been similarly terminated, to be re-instated and further
that Sowah J.A. had mentioned this request of his half-sister to the Minister
of External Affairs, Mr. Victor Owusu.&nbsp; It came out in the cross
examination of the Attorney-General by Mr. Quashie-Idum that as a result of
information he received personally, in or around the court and in his office, and
through the Solicitor-General, about the relationship between Apaloo J.A. and
the respondent and Sowah J.A. and Mrs. Jonas, the Attorney-General contacted
Azu Crabbe, Ag. C.J.&nbsp; The Acting Chief Justice said he would take a cue
from&nbsp;<i>Asare v The State (no.2)</i>&nbsp;(1968) C.C. 63, C.A. and
re-constitute the court but some days later he informed the Attorney-General
that if his informants were willing to come forward to substantiate their
allegation, the Attorney-General could take up the matter in open court; hence
this application.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The Attorney-General under
cross-examination admitted that he knew Sallah and easily identified him on the
first day Sallah’s case went to court. Siriboe J.A. explained that he also knew
Sallah.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">Three witnesses gave evidence in support
of the application. The first, Alhaji Yakubu, was a one-time journalist of the
dissolved Ghana Young Pioneers and now a journalist with the Ghana News Agency.
The second, Fatayi Briamah, also a Moslem, was formally with the same Young
Pioneers but now claims to be a transport owner in Accra. They both testified
that on 7 February 1970 they went to see off the pilgrims to Mecca and on their
return from the Airport at about 10 p.m. they went to dine to at the Hotel
Continental where they saw Apaloo J.A., the respondent and two other ladies
dining together at one table. They both said the plane departed at about 1
a.m.&nbsp; The third witness was one Fleischer who had worked under the
respondent both at the Kingsway Stores in Kumasi and the G.N.T.C. in Accra. His
evidence was that while working under the respondent Apaloo J.A. and his wife
used to visit the respondent at the Kingsway Stores both in Kumasi and Accra
and although he did not understand the language used in their conversations, he
alleged that they used to talk in very familiar tones. He stated further that
the respondent used to reserve goods for them.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">Two witness were called to rebut t</main>