The Executive Director of the Bright Future Alliance, Bright Ofori has openly questioned Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo’s demand for legal and family access during her ongoing suspension proceedings.
Speaking on the News Review Segment of The AM Club, he argues that her call for external presence undermines her position as the head of the judiciary. His comments come on the back of the suspended Chief Justice’s first public speech months after her suspension from office.
Responding to her claimsthat the suspended Chief Justice is seeking to have her family and legal representatives present at closed-door investigative sessions — a request not permitted under the current constitutional framework — Ofori challenged her apparent reluctance to face the process independently.
“Is she a child? Can’t she speak without her family around?” he said. “You can’t answer questions from your fellow lawyers?”
Ofori argued that, as the country’s highest-ranking judicial officer, Justice Torkornoo should be able to defend herself within the boundaries of the Constitution without needing outside support in a process that demands personal accountability.
The Chief Justice’s critics say her requests could be seen as an attempt to politicize the proceedings or cast doubt on the constitutional mechanisms in place.
However, her supporters argue that even high-ranking officials should be afforded fairness and moral support, particularly given the gravity of the allegations and the precedent her case may set.
The ongoing situation has sparked widespread debate over the fairness of the suspension, with the Ghana Bar Association and other civil society groups calling for greater transparency and respect for the rule of law.
