CJ Suspension: Once the president decides you should go, you're out - Prof Mike Oquaye

Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has raised concerns. He questions the evaluation process for petitions against high-ranking judicial officials. He believes the current system lacks transparency and may violate human rights.

In an interview with JoyNews on May 8, Prof Oquaye discussed committee neutrality. He suggested that personal affiliations might influence committee members' decisions. This could overshadow the facts presented during investigations.

He warned that suspending a sitting Chief Justice gives too much power to the president. “Once the President decides you should go, you are on your way out,” he stated.

His comments come amid controversy over a petition to remove Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo. He expressed doubts about the fairness and transparency of the disciplinary process. He highlighted the president's significant influence in initiating such actions.

Prof Oquaye urged Ghanaians to reflect on historical events and their implications. He emphasized the need for principled discussions about fairness in these procedures.

He expressed concern over how this matter has been handled publicly. Media leaks and questions about due process have raised alarms for him. While he did not comment on specific details of the petition, he stressed that fairness must be addressed first.

“What I am very much keen upon is exactly this issue,” he said. “It must be resolved as a preliminary issue.”

He criticized closed-door disciplinary proceedings, calling them unjust. “Nobody wants a secret trial,” he noted, referencing constitutional guarantees against such practices. Unlike other judicial staff, he pointed out that the Chief Justice cannot appeal disciplinary actions in this context.