Suspended CJ’s actions suggest guilt – Dafeamekpor

Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has criticised suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo for what he describes as conduct suggesting guilt, following her scathing condemnation of the committee probing her possible removal from office.

On May 26, Chief Justice Torkornoo filed a supplementary affidavit at the Supreme Court in support of a motion seeking to halt the ongoing impeachment process.

In the affidavit, she described the proceedings against her as “a mockery of justice, an assault on judicial independence, and worse than the treatment meted out to persons accused of treason.”

She further argued that the inquiry violates her constitutional rights to a fair trial and human dignity, accusing the committee of subjecting her to inhuman and degrading treatment.

Torkornoo detailed several procedural violations, including the committee’s decision to proceed with hearings despite being formally notified of her suit at the Supreme Court.

The Chief Justice also criticised the decision to allow petitioners to rely on third-party witnesses rather than testify themselves.

She argued that this undermines due process and deprives her of the right to cross-examine her accusers.

Beyond legal irregularities, Torkornoo highlighted personal indignities—body searches, denial of access to communication devices for herself and her legal team, and restrictions on her family’s access to the hearing room.

She also questioned the choice of venue, the Osu Castle, calling it “a cordoned high-security facility” that differs sharply from the judicial venues used in similar past cases.

Describing the entire process as a targeted campaign, Torkornoo warned that the treatment she is receiving poses a broader threat to judicial independence and the constitutional rights of all superior court judges.

In response, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor advised the Chief Justice to respect the judicial process.

Speaking on Channel One TV, he said, “I think that she should rather allow [the law to work]. She is acting in a manner that is presumptive of guilt.”

Dafeamekpor argued that that her conduct could erode public confidence in the very judiciary she once led, and urged restraint as the legal process unfolds.