KEY POINTS
- Justice Atuguba criticizes Chief Justice suspension controversy as politically driven.
- The NPP protested the move, calling it unconstitutional interference.
- Legal experts warn the Chief Justice suspension controversy could erode judicial independence.
In response to Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo’s suspension, the New Patriotic Party received criticism from retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba.
Justice Atuguba blasts NPP over Chief Justice suspension controversy
Speaking on JoyNews‘ The Pulse, Justice Atuguba called the NPP’s statement “rubbish” and charged them with promoting a self-serving narrative.
On Tuesday, May 7, the Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge filed by MP Ekow Vincent Assafuah in a close 3–2 decision.
After misconduct petitions were filed with the Presidency, Assafuah disputed the President’s power to suspend the Chief Justice and start the removal process.
“Scanning through the events in the court, that is rubbish,” remarked Justice Atuguba, highlighting the contradictions in the NPP’s current complaints.
He pointed out that the party had not voiced any objections to Justice Torkornoo’s prior decisions in situations that favored their interests.
Opinions across the nation are strongly split along political lines in the wake of the Chief Justice’s suspension.
The Presidency defended its ruling, claiming it was founded on valid claims of administrative malfeasance and that it adhered to constitutional procedures.
Legal experts warn suspension threatens judicial independence
However, the NPP cautioned that the suspension constituted a severe threat to Ghana’s judicial independence and denounced it as politically motivated.
In Accra, the party staged a sizable demonstration that drew activists, opposition members, and supporters calling for the suspension to be lifted.
With posters that read “Hands Off Our Judiciary” and “Justice Must Be Independent,” protesters loudly voiced their displeasure as they marched through the downtown streets.
Protest leaders formally petitioned the President, the Speaker of Parliament, and the Supreme Court to halt the rally.
The march’s organizers characterized it as a constitutional action to put pressure on the government to reevaluate the Chief Justice’s removal processes.
After being accused of overseeing the court system’s procurement choices and judge nominations, Justice Torkornoo was placed on leave.
The Chief Justice’s suspension might expose Ghana’s judiciary to more political meddling and manipulation, according to critics of the decision.
They contend that this precedent erodes public trust in the nation’s legal and democratic systems and impairs institutional independence.
