A law lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) Law School, Ishaq Ibrahim, has criticized the Presidency for breaching confidentiality in the controversy surrounding attempts to remove Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
Speaking on Asaase Radio’s The Forum, hosted by Wilberforce Asare on Saturday (29 March), Ishaq Ibrahim, who is also a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Legal Directorate, argued that the first breach of confidentiality came from the Presidency.
He noted that while the President had accused the Chief Justice of leaking details of her response to the media, it was the Presidency that initially informed the public about the existence of petitions seeking her removal.
“You found the need to tell the public that there were petitions filed to remove the Chief Justice. Why couldn’t you keep confidentiality?” he questioned.
“And until a prima facie case is established, there was no need for us [the public] to know”, he remarked.
Ibrahim also defended the Chief Justice’s right to inquire about how her response had leaked, arguing that such an inquiry was legitimate. However, he conceded that the Chief Justice’s letter to the Presidency should not have been made public.
“The fact that the President was wrong does not mean the Chief Justice was right in how she responded,” he remarked.
Some three petitions have been received by the President to remove Justice Gertrude Torkornoo over alleged misconduct.
In response to the petitions, President Mahama has given Chief Justice Torkornoo 10 days to submit a preliminary response. The petitions were forwarded to the Council of State for consultation, as mandated by Article 146(6) of the 1992 Constitution.
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