Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has called for the resignation of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, arguing that stepping down would be in the best interest of Ghana’s judiciary and democracy.
Speaking in an interview, Kpebu stated that a voluntary resignation would prevent prolonged investigations and potential damage to public confidence in the judicial system.
Kpebu emphasized that while Chief Justice Torkornoo could theoretically be exonerated, the ongoing scrutiny surrounding her position risks eroding trust in the judiciary. He warned that the investigation could “open a can of worms”, bringing back past controversies related to judicial corruption and further destabilizing the system.
“A resignation would be better than going through all of this. She can be exonerated theoretically, but if you look at dragging this matter on in the public domain, by the time we’re done, the whole system would have suffered too much,” Kpebu stated.
Political and legal implications
His comments follow the suspension of Chief Justice Torkornoo by President John Mahama, who established a committee to investigate petitions against her. The suspension, based on Article 146 (6) of the Constitution, mandates an inquiry when a prima facie case is established against a superior court judge.
Kpebu argued that stepping down would allow the country to move forward without deepening existing tensions. “This is going to open a can of worms. It would rake up all the old wounds—the Anas exposé, everything is going to come out and be thrown at the system. And it’s not good for our democracy to drag this matter,” he warned.
Public reaction and next steps
While there has been no official response from Chief Justice Torkornoo regarding Kpebu’s remarks, legal experts and political analysts continue to debate the impact of her resignation versus the consequences of a prolonged investigation.
Kpebu maintained that resignation would be the strategic choice, stating, “If I were asked in terms of strategy, a resignation would be better than going to fight this kind of thing.”
As discussions unfold, many will be watching to see whether Chief Justice Torkornoo responds to the calls for her resignation or chooses to defend her position through the investigative process.
Baina Multimedia/Khadijahtu Kubura Kailani
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