Suspension of Ghana’s chief justice is ‘abuse of energy’, says opposition

Opposition MPs in Ghana have fiercely condemned the suspension of the nation’s chief justice, accusing President John Mahama of attempting to “pack the courts” with justices who’re sympathetic to the governing get together, the NDC.

Gertrude Torkornoo was faraway from her publish on Wednesday – the primary time a chief justice has been suspended within the nation’s historical past.

The motion was taken after three petitions, which made allegations towards Ms Torkornoo, have been filed.

The content material of the petitions has not been made public and Ms Torkornoo is but to remark brazenly on the matter.

Mahama’s supporters have backed the transfer as an extended overdue transfer to wash up the judiciary.

Nevertheless it was condemned by the opposition as “nothing in need of a brazen judicial coup, a reckless abuse of government energy, and a direct assault on the independence of Ghana’s judiciary”, the MPs stated in a press release.

On Tuesday, a press release from the presidency stated the chief justice was requested to step apart in order that the allegations towards her may very well be investigated.

For the reason that suspension was introduced, two extra petitions have been filed towards Ms Torkornoo.

Former legal professional basic Godfred Yeboah Dame instructed the BBC he thought the suspension was a “full charade… the most important assault on the [judiciary] within the nation’s historical past”.

Earlier than Ms Torkornoo was suspended, attorneys filed no less than two lawsuits difficult the legality of the process being utilized by the president.

By legislation the president ought to have given copies of the petition to the chief justice earlier than suspending her, which he initially didn’t do. Nonetheless, he did later make them accessible to her.

The caucus of opposition MPs says that by suspending the chief justice earlier than the Supreme Court docket had dominated on these lawsuits, Mahama had “violated” due course of.

However some Ghanaians help the president’s transfer.

Dr Tony Aidoo, Ghana’s former ambassador to the Netherlands, instructed radio station Pleasure Information: “I feel the president is defending the judiciary in Ghana from the actions of an individual who doesn’t behave in a fashion that ought to hold her there… if there is a stench within the room it’s a must to let in contemporary air.”

Some accuse the Supreme Court docket underneath Ms Torkornoo of siding with former President Nana Akufo-Addo and his get together on a number of high-profile political instances.

For instance, final yr, the justices dominated that the speaker’s choice to declare 4 MP’s seats vacant was unconstitutional.

Ghana has had 15 chief justices, whose job entails overseeing the administration of justice within the nation.

People who got here earlier than Ms Torkornoo ended their time period by retiring – none have been suspended or completely eliminated.

Chief justices can solely be faraway from workplace on just a few grounds, corresponding to incompetence or misbehaviour.

Ms Torkornoo is Ghana’s third feminine chief justice and was nominated in 2023 by Akufo-Addo.

Based on Reuters information company, Ms Torkornoo survived a elimination request earlier this yr when Akufo-Addo stated a petition to have her dismissed had “a number of deficiencies”.

A five-member committee has now been set as much as examine the present allegations towards Ms Torkornoo.