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

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

In an interview with JoyNews on April 22, he said, “We are not sure if the allegations are proven.” He explained that a prima facie case means the allegations are serious but not necessarily true.

Dr. Srem Sai described this situation as a legal issue governed by the Constitution. He asked the public not to politicize the process.

His comments came amid 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 was 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 called this advice "poisonous." Dr. Srem Sai questioned how fair such comments were without knowing the petition's details.

He stated, “If you have not seen the petition, it is unfair to judge.” He noted that calling members of the Council of State "poisonous" is unfortunate.

“I would not rush to politicize or condemn anyone at this point,” he added. He hopes all processes will be followed correctly moving forward.

Dr. Srem Sai assured that his office will monitor these proceedings closely. “If any procedures breach constitutional provisions, we will speak out,” he said. For now, he believes that proper processes have been followed so far.