The Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, has firmly dismissed the Ghana Bar Association’s (GBA) demand for the immediate unsealing of the prima facie determination against the suspended Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo.
According to the GBA, government to urgently revoke the suspension and reinstate the Chief Justice.
However, addressing the issue on GHOne TV’s NewsTonight with Emmanuel Agyabeng, Dr. Srem-Sai assured that the Attorney General’s Department remains committed to upholding constitutional provisions.
“We will continue to respect the provisions of the Constitution until such a time as the Ghana Bar Association amends it,” he said. “There has been considerable debate on this matter, but our position remains unchanged: publishing proceedings or related documents would be a constitutional violation. Advising the President to do so would be inappropriate.”
While acknowledging the public’s call for transparency, Dr. Srem-Sai maintained that constitutional mandates must take precedence. “If the Constitution requires confidentiality in such proceedings, then anyone truly committed to the rule of law must adhere to that. That’s why we find the GBA’s proposal troubling.”
He confirmed that the Attorney General’s Office has received various proposals regarding the matter. “Many submissions affirm that the President has acted in full compliance with the Constitution. We will consider the GBA’s proposal and advise the President accordingly,” he added.
Meanwhile, smaller political parties including the Movement for Change and the Progressive People’s Party have thrown their support behind the President’s decision. They argue that the process for the Chief Justice’s suspension adheres strictly to Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, which governs the removal of superior court justices.
The Movement for Change further urged the investigative committee to uphold fairness and impartiality, warning that political interference particularly from the NPP and NDC could jeopardize the legitimacy of the process and erode Ghana’s democratic foundations.
Source: Ghana/StarrFM 103.5FM/Benjamin Sackey
