Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has suggested that a voluntary resignation by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo would be in the best interest of Ghana’s democracy, rather than subjecting the nation to a prolonged investigation process.
According to him, although the Chief Justice could potentially be exonerated, the damage inflicted on the judiciary and public confidence during the proceedings could be irreversible.
“A resignation would be better than going through all of this. She can be exonerated theoretically, but if you look at dragging this matter on in the public domain, by the time we’re done, the whole system would have suffered too much,” he said on Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, April 22.
Mr. Kpebu emphasized that the ongoing process risks bringing up controversial issues related to judicial corruption, which he believes would reopen old wounds and further destabilize public trust in the judiciary.
“This is going to open a can of worms. It would rake up all the old wounds—the Anas exposé, everything is going to come out and be thrown at the system. And it’s not good for our democracy to drag this matter,” he warned.
He argued that Justice Torkornoo stepping down would allow the country to move forward more swiftly and avoid deepening existing tensions.
“A resignation would be in order so that everything is curtailed, and we move on quickly,” Mr. Kpebu added. “If I were asked in terms of strategy, a resignation would be better than going to fight this kind of thing.”
His comments follow the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo by President John Mahama, after the establishment of a committee to investigate petitions against her.
The move, announced in a statement from the Presidency, is in compliance with constitutional provisions and follows consultations with the Council of State.
The President cited Article 146(6) of the Constitution, which mandates the establishment of a committee to probe allegations against a superior court judge if a prima facie case is established.
According to the statement, President Mahama determined that sufficient grounds exist to warrant further inquiry.
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