Chief Justice nominee, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, has justified the decision by the Supreme Court to issue contempt summons to persons who denigrate the image of the apex court.
Speaking in Parliament during her vetting on Friday, she explained that summoning people for contempt is a tool to keep the dignity and reputation of the Courts in Ghana.
“The issuing of contempt summons has always been a tool that has been used by courts to ensure that the dignity of the court is not scandalized. The [Supreme] Court is one out of 400 courts, and it is the ultimate voice, so whenever the court acts, whether it is the High Court, Court of Appeal, or Supreme Court, it is to ensure that the Justice system is not scandalized,” Justice Torkornoo said.
Dr. Michael Kpessa-Whyte, a lecturer at the University of Ghana was on Thursday summoned by the Supreme Court for contempt and bringing the image of the court into disrepute.
In a tweet shared on Friday, May 19, 2023, Dr. Kpessa Whyte said that the highest court of the land has been turned into a ‘stupid court’.
He also criticized the current state of Ghana’s judiciary, accusing it of partisanship and lacking common sense.
The court requested him to explain why he should not be held in contempt for describing the nation’s highest judicial body in such a manner.
Dr. Kpessa-Whyte’s tweets came shortly after the Supreme Court ordered Parliament to remove the name of NDC MP James Gyakye Quayson from its records due to procedural breaches during his nomination and election in 2020.
Following the tweet, he received inquiries regarding his statement, particularly in relation to Ghana’s judiciary. He clarified that his tweets were not specifically referring to the Ghanaian judiciary but were instead influenced by global developments, including those in the United States.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kpessa-Whyte is to appear before the court on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, to answer questions and to explain why he should not be cited for contempt.