Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye, has raised serious concerns over the ongoing “secret trial” of Ghana’s Chief Justice, cautioning that such a move could irreparably damage the integrity of the country’s judicial system.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Thursday, May 8, Prof. Oquaye described the secretive nature of the proceedings as a violation of fundamental human rights and due process.
He warned that the current approach undermines constitutional principles, noting that “It is a very, very important principle, and it’s a human rights issue.
The accused person — in this case, the Chief Justice — is entitled to an open trial. Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done.”
According to Prof. Oquaye, even the lowest-ranking staff in the judiciary, when facing disciplinary action, is guaranteed the right to appeal through the hierarchy of courts — from the High Court to the Court of Appeal, and ultimately to the Supreme Court.
He questioned why the nation’s top judicial officer should be denied the same transparency and safeguards.
“Nobody wants a star chamber court. Nobody wants secret trials. Even in our traditional system governed by customary law, trials are held publicly. The community has a right to witness proceedings,” he argued.
He further decried the notion of a small, handpicked panel — reportedly five individuals selected by one person — conducting proceedings behind closed doors and delivering a judgment without public scrutiny.
“If this is how a Chief Justice can be removed, then I will tell you I am not interested in the post.
“If this is a judge of the Supreme Court (who) can be cocooned into some room, five people. Nobody can see some, nobody can hear, some. And then after, somebody will come and tell you this is the verdict … we will be destroying the judiciary if we go this pathway,” he warned.
Prof. Ocquaye called on the Supreme Court to intervene and nullify any decisions made so far under this secretive process, urging that a proper, open trial be initiated in line with constitutional and democratic standards.
“It’s not too late to make changes. We must ensure justice is done the right way — in the open, for all Ghanaians to see,” he noted.
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