Government has dismissed claims by suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Torkornoo that the venue for her removal hearing was intentionally chosen to intimidate her and shield the process from public scrutiny.
Addressing the media on Thursday, June 26, Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, refuted these claims, describing them as completely unfair and unjustified.
He clarified that the venue is neither secret nor intimidating, adding that Adu Lodge is a state facility regularly used to accommodate high-ranking officials who visit Ghana.
“Now the venue in question is the Adu Lodge. Yes, it is close to the Osu castle which used to be the former seat of government. As I speak, there are government agencies that operate there so it is a public place. The Osu castle is a public place. You can go there to conduct official government business. Beside it are private residences owned by Ghanaians who move freely in and out of their residence even though they are situated very close to the Osu castle,” Mr. Ofosu explained.
He added that it is misleading to suggest that the mere location of the venue creates an atmosphere of fear or secrecy.
“So the impression that a facility in the vicinity of the Osu castle necessarily makes it intimidating or foreboding is completely misplaced. It is unfair, it is not justifiable,” he stressed.
READ: FULL TEXT: Chief Justice breaks silence for the first time since suspension
Mr. Ofosu further explained that the decision to use Adu Lodge was not made by the government or President John Dramani Mahama, but rather by the independent committee investigating the Chief Justice.
“The decision to use that place was not that of government or President Mahama. The committee requested that they needed facilities of a certain status that could house their activities and that would facilitate a smooth running of the proceedings,” he noted.
This comes after Justice Torkornoo, speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, June 25, alleged that the ongoing impeachment proceedings, being held at Adu Lodge — a high-security facility located on Castle Drive in Osu — deviate from established legal traditions and are designed to intimidate her and hinder her defence.
She expressed particular concern over the choice of Adu Lodge, describing it as symbolically troubling, given its proximity to the Osu Castle and its historical links to the 1981 abduction and murder of three High Court judges and a military officer, one of whom was her uncle and former guardian.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Hamdia Mohammed
