Mahama has captured the judiciary – Vincent Assafuah

The Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Ekow Vincent Assafuah, has condemned the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo by President John Mahama, describing it as a dangerous attack on Ghana’s democracy.

The lawmaker, in a Facebook post, argued that the dismissal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo is a manipulation of the constitution based on partisan interest.

“The removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo is not just a constitutional setback; it is a calculated political manoeuvre that strikes at the very heart of our democracy,” he wrote.

He also accused President John Dramani Mahama of exploiting flaws in Article 146 of the Constitution, noting that with eleven members of the Council of State appointed by him, the supposed “consultation” that determined a prima facie case against the Chief Justice was nothing but a “rubber stamp for executive interest”.

Assafuah cautioned that the precedent established by this removal has turned the Chief Justice into a political casualty at the President’s discretion.

“Her tenure has been made coterminous with that of the President, reducing the head of our judiciary into a political casualty at the whim of the executive. That is not democracy, it is executive capture of the judiciary,” he stated.

The MP expressed worry over how even the Human Rights Court has refused to hear the Chief Justice’s petition, raising grave concerns about access to justice for ordinary Ghanaians.

“If the Chief Justice herself cannot secure a fair hearing, then what hope exists for the ordinary Ghanaian?” he quizzed.

According to him, this episode represents “an attack on the rule of law and a betrayal of the promise of Freedom and Justice”, he further noted.

He called on Parliament and citizens to advocate for reforms that would protect the judiciary from political interference.