Supreme Court Adjourns Indefinitely Cases on Former Chief Justice Torkornoo’s Removal

The Supreme Court on Tuesday indefinitely adjourned four cases concerning the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo.

In three of the suits, the apex court directed the parties to file joint memoranda of issues within two weeks; failing this, they would be required to submit their memoranda individually. These cases include Vincent Assifuah vs. Attorney-General, Centre for Constitutional Elections vs. Attorney-General, and Theodore Kofi Atta Quartey vs. Attorney-General.

In the case of Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo vs. Attorney-General and five others, the parties were absent from court.

Separately, the Supreme Court struck out the suit Ebenezer Osei Owusu vs. Attorney-General, declaring it incompetent. The court found that the plaintiff had filed the writ without a statement of case and failed to seek leave to regularise the process.

“The suit is struck out because it is incompetent… same is struck out without liberty to re-file,” ruled the seven-member panel chaired by Justice Amadu Tanko.

The Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem Sai, who attended the hearing, suggested that the panel consider consolidating the cases, noting that the reliefs sought were largely similar.

Among the suits, Vincent Assifuah, the NPP Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, has petitioned the Supreme Court to review the constitutionality of President John Mahama’s actions in the removal process of Justice Torkornoo. He is seeking an interpretation of the constitutional provisions governing the removal of a Chief Justice.

Mr. Assifuah argues that the President was constitutionally obliged to notify the former Chief Justice and obtain her comments before referring the petition for removal to the Council of State.

Source: GNA