The Minority has condemned President John Mahama’s decision to suspend Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo. A statement from the Presidency, which announced the suspension on Tuesday, April 22, followed the formation of a committee to investigate complaints against the senior judicial official.
The Minority characterized this action as a ‘coup against the judiciary’ and called for the immediate reinstatement of Justice Torkornoo. They described it as a significant instance of judicial overreach and a clear case of executive interference.
The Caucus referenced the 1963 dismissal of Chief Justice Sir Arku Korsah by President Kwame Nkrumah after a ruling unfavorable to the government, drawing comparisons to the current scenario.
The Minority asserted that the suspension is a politically motivated ‘witch-hunt’ aimed at facilitating the appointment of judges sympathetic to the NDC, thereby further eroding judicial independence.
They stated, ‘This is neither good governance nor a credible effort to reform the judiciary – it is tyranny.’ They emphasized that the citizens of Ghana will not accept the undermining of judicial independence for political advantage.
The Caucus pledged that any further attempts to harass, intimidate, or unlawfully remove the Chief Justice would encounter ‘strong legal and public opposition.’
They also called for a suspension of all actions aimed at removing the Chief Justice until the judiciary has definitively ruled on the constitutionality of the process. ‘The integrity of Ghana’s judiciary is non-negotiable,’ they asserted, committing to vigorously oppose any efforts to politicize the courts.
