The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the resignation of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Torkornoo, accusing her of pursuing a “self-seeking” agenda in the recent recommendation of judges to the Supreme Court.
This demand was made by the party’s National Communications Officer, Sammy Adu Gyamfi, who criticized the Chief Justice’s actions as unconstitutional and detrimental to the national interest.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, Adu Gyamfi highlighted procedural flaws in Chief Justice Torkornoo’s approach but emphasized that the underlying issue is her alleged intent to influence the judiciary with personal preferences.
“What she has done is totally wrong, it was totally uncalled for, it is unconstitutional and I think she must eat humble pie, concede this fact, and make amends. But beyond the procedural flaws for me is the whole agenda and intention behind the action,” he stated.
Adu Gyamfi further elaborated that if the Chief Justice had merely requested an increase in the number of Supreme Court justices to expedite pending cases, procedural lapses might be forgivable.
However, her actions go beyond this, as she proposed specific judges to the President, raising concerns about her motivations.
“That, for me, borders on her intents and agenda she has. It shows that this CJ is not interested in having more justices on the Supreme Court, but actually has her own preference of friends, allies, or people in the judiciary that she thinks should be appointed to the Supreme Court. That is problematic because that brings up these issues of conflict of interest,” Adu Gyamfi remarked.
He expressed further concern over the Chief Justice’s dual role as the Chairperson of the Judicial Council, which advises the President on judicial appointments.
He argued that this position should not be used to influence the President’s choices based on personal preferences, stating, “That should tell you clearly, that the main motivation for the CJ is not what we are being told or for the speedy determination of matters before the Supreme Court but to have the preferences of this Chief Justice appointed onto the Supreme Court. And that is why, for me, I think this is reason enough for this chief justice to resign.”
In a letter dated May 30, 2024, addressed to President Nana Akufo-Addo, Chief Justice Torkornoo recommended the appointment of five judges to the Supreme Court: Justice Angelina Mensah Homiah, Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, Justice Cyra Pamela C.A. Koranteng, and Justice Afia Asare Botwe.
The NDC has accused both the President and the Chief Justice of conspiring to protect current government officials from future accountability.
On July 4, NDC General Secretary Fifi Kwetey expressed concerns over the nomination of the five justices, describing it as unjust and lacking transparency. He called for the decision to be challenged, emphasizing the need for fairness in the judicial appointment process.
In response, the Majority in Parliament, represented by Alex Afenyo-Markin, defended the Chief Justice’s proposal to increase the number of Supreme Court judges to 20.
Afenyo-Markin insisted that the recommendation is within legal boundaries and that no laws were violated in the Chief Justice’s actions.
As this controversy unfolds, the call for the Chief Justice’s resignation by Sammy Adu Gyamfi underscores the ongoing.
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