Supreme Court rejects Dame’s objections to acting CJ panel

The Supreme Court has dismissed two objections from Godfred Yeboah Dame. He called for the recusal of Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie. He also requested a new panel to hear a motion regarding the Chief Justice's removal.

Mr. Dame represents plaintiff Vincent Ekow Asafuah. He argued that the Acting Chief Justice could benefit from the proceedings. Therefore, he believed Justice Baffoe-Bonnie should step down.

Dame also objected to the original panel's reconstitution. The original panel included Justices Samuel Asiedu, Ernest Gaewu, Richard Agyei Frimpong, and Yaw Asare Darko. It was presided over by Prof. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu.

The current panel includes Justices Yonny Kulendi, Amadu Tanko, and Ernest Gaewu. It is also presided over by Acting Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie.

Godfred Dame cited Article 157(3) of the Constitution in his argument. He claimed that once the original panel began hearing the motion, it could not be changed until completion. However, the Supreme Court dismissed this objection.

The court ruled that Article 144(6) empowers the Acting Chief Justice to perform all duties of a substantive Chief Justice. This includes forming a panel for hearings. Thus, they rejected Mr. Dame's call for recusal.

Regarding his second objection, the court again dismissed his argument. They stated that the constitutional provisions he cited did not apply in this situation.