Physician and political activist, Dr. Arthur Kennedy, has acknowledged that Ghanaians have good reason to be concerned about the state of the Judiciary.
In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, he stated that recent developments in the country give the impression that the Judiciary can be easily manipulated.
“My primary concern is that we are heading toward a situation where anyone can change the composition of the court simply because they don’t like it,” he bemoaned.
Dr. Kennedy’s remarks follow President Mahama’s recommendation of seven Court of Appeal Justices for nomination to the Supreme Court.
The move has drawn widespread criticism, with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) describing it as a veiled attempt to pursue a third-term agenda.
However, the NPP member expressed hope that the Prof. H. Kwesi Prempeh-led Constitutional Review Committee will recommend a cap on the number of Supreme Court Justices.
“The review should ensure that the Chief Justice no longer sets up panels, but that panels are constituted automatically. There must be clear processes for appeals. It is wrong for a case like the Domelevo matter to take two years for a ruling, while a case brought by Afenyo-Markin receives a ruling within the same day. Those timelines are inconsistent,” he stated.
He further added that it appears there are two tiers of justice based on who holds power.
“And I’m saying that on both counts, it seems as if that is the system President Mahama is aiming to create,” he concluded.
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