Deputy A-G urges caution, says allegations against Chief Justice not yet proven

Dr. Justice Srem Sai is the Deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney-General. He has urged the public to respond calmly to Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo's suspension. He emphasized that a prima facie case does not mean guilt.

In an interview with JoyNews on April 22, he said, “We are not sure if the allegations are proven.” Establishing a case means there are serious allegations, but it doesn’t imply guilt. It only indicates that the claims are not frivolous.

Dr. Srem Sai called this matter a technical legal issue governed by the Constitution. He asked the public not to politicize the process.

His comments follow increased political debate from both sides of the aisle. Some members of Parliament from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) held a press conference on Tuesday. They called for Chief Justice Torkornoo’s reinstatement, claiming her suspension is unjust and politically motivated.

The NPP argued that this suspension threatens judicial independence and sets a bad precedent. Dr. Srem Sai responded to former Deputy Attorney-General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah's remarks about the Council of State’s advice to suspend Torkornoo.

Tuah-Yeboah described that advice as "poisonous." Dr. Srem Sai questioned such comments due to lack of access to the petition's contents.

He stated, “It is unfair to label Council of State members without seeing the petition.” He added that suggesting they have "poisoned" the system is unfortunate.

“I would not rush to politicize or condemn anyone’s actions now,” he said. He hopes all processes will be followed moving forward and urges vigilance in monitoring them.

He assured that his office will oversee compliance with constitutional provisions during this process. If any procedures breach constitutional guidelines, they will speak out against it, he stated. For now, he believes processes have been properly followed.