A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communication Team, Ellen Ama Daaku, has defended the suspended Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Torkornoo, following public criticism of her recent address, insisting that the embattled judge has every right to voice her concerns.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey on Friday, June 27, Madam Daaku argued that regardless of her current predicament, Justice Torkornoo remains a Ghanaian citizen with the right to speak out if she believes she is being treated unfairly.
“She’s also a Ghanaian; she’s expected to say what is worrying her if she feels that the committee is not treating her fairly and that’s what she came to say and you can’t stop her from voicing her opinion,” Madam Daaku stated.
“She’s decided that she wants to do it that way you can’t tell her because she’s a Chief Justice she can’t talk about what is happening to her, you cannot sit on her happiness, you cannot push down her voice, you can’t silence her. I don’t know anywhere in the constitution where it says that you can silence people, you can’t.”
Madam Daaku challenged those who believe Justice Torkornoo acted unlawfully to seek legal redress rather than attempting to gag her.
“You may disagree with how she decided to talk about it and if you think she did wrong, as you say go to court and then go and get an injunction against her or an injunction to stop her from speaking until you’re able to do that and prove to a court of competent jurisdiction that she’s not allowed to speak, she will speak and the rest of us will hear we will listen and we will analyse,” she emphasised.
Meanwhile, critics have argued that Justice Torkornoo’s public address violated legal principles and undermined the committee tasked with investigating her.
They also expressed concern about her decision to disclose aspects of the petition against her while the constitutionally mandated investigation is still ongoing. According to some, this conduct renders her unfit to serve as Chief Justice.
Justice Torkornoo, who is facing impeachment proceedings under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, held a press conference on Wednesday, June 25, where she described the process as unconstitutional, irregular, and politically motivated.
She further raised concerns over the choice of venue for the proceedings—Adu Lodge, a state facility located along Castle Drive in Osu—describing it as symbolically troubling due to its association with the 1981 abduction and murder of three High Court judges and a military officer, one of whom was her uncle.
The suspended Chief Justice maintained that stepping down would wrongly suggest an admission of guilt and embolden political actors seeking to manipulate the situation.
During her address, Justice Torkornoo also cited alleged breaches of procedure, violations of her human rights, and what she described as a grand conspiracy to remove her from office without due process.
The government, through spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, responded in a press conference the same day, describing the Chief Justice’s public remarks as “most regrettable.”
Kwakye Ofosu reaffirmed President John Mahama’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and the integrity of Ghana’s constitutional framework, irrespective of the individual involved.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Hamdia Mohammed
