The Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, has suggested tougher sanctions for judges who make public pronouncements on cases pending in court.
Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Esaaba Torkornoo made this comment during the 7th Annual Legal Ethics Training Programme organised by the African Centre on Law and Ethics at the GIMPA Faculty of Law on July 31, 2023.
“If we could haul an individual before courts for contempt of court for discussing a case in court, then we ought to haul a judge even faster,” she stated.
This comes in the wake of the invitation of the Dormaahene, Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, before the Judicial Council for his recent comments on a court case of the Member of Parliament for Assin North Constituency James Gyakye Quayson.
The Paramount Chief, also a High Court judge, appealed to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to direct the Attorney General to file a nolle prosequi to discontinue the case.
He made the plea after Mr Gyakye Quayson won the by-election held on Tuesday, June 27, after his election in 2020 was declared null and void and of no effect by the Supreme Court.