A 51-year-old Senior High Court Registrar, Mr.. Adu Sarkodee, has been arrested and handed over to the Accra Regional CID by the First Deputy Judicial Secretary, Mr.. George A. Aryeetey, for allegedly extorting an amount of ?120,000.00. from an accused person before granting him bail. A statement by the Greater Accra Regional Police Public Relations Unit in Accra said the accused, Emmanuel Kojo Sackey Odamettey, was last Tuesday, granted bail by an Accra Circuit Tribunal but had to remain in custody because he could not afford an amount 200 thousand cedis bail money being demanded by the Registrar. The statement said the wife of the accused, Madam Elizabeth Coffie, who was determined to secure the bail for the husband, was told to bring an Indenture as security. She therefore produced the Indenture which the Registrar declared to be fake after scrutinising it and instead, asked her to pay 200 thousand cedis to him. It said the woman who suspected the behaviour of the Registrar, reported the matter to the employers of Mr.. Adu Sarkodee who promised to assist her with 120 thousand which the Registrar had now agreed to accept before processing the bail bond. The statement said last Friday, the wife of the accused went in for the money as promised and accordingly gave it to the Registrar, after which he quickly processed the bail bond. A quick search conducted revealed 120 thousand cedis in five thousand cedi notes hidden in his drawer.
