The Attorney General has formally responded to the objections raised by suspended Chief Justice (CJ) Her Ladyship Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkonoo, firmly defending the legal framework underpinning the ongoing impeachment proceedings against her.In a statement issued Monday, the Attorney General asserted that the in-camera hearings being conducted by the committee investigating the CJ are not discretionary but mandated by the Constitution.
According to the AG, these closed-door proceedings are designed to protect not only the interests of the Chief Justice but also the integrity and independence of the judiciary as a whole — and therefore cannot be waived.
The Attorney General also dismissed calls for two Supreme Court justices sitting on the investigative committee to recuse themselves. The Chief Justice’s legal team had raised concerns about Justices Samuel Adibu Asiedu and Gabriel Scott Pwamang, arguing that their involvement could raise questions of bias.
However, the Attorney General clarified that Justice Asiedu did not participate in the injunction proceedings brought by the CJ and thus faces no conflict of interest. As for Justice Pwamang, the AG argued that his prior involvement in cases filed by one of the petitioners does not amount to evidence of bias or prejudice.Responding to claims that members of the committee had not properly sworn the oath of office, the Attorney General countered that all committee members have duly taken their oaths in line with constitutional and procedural requirements.
Concluding the response, the Attorney General maintained that the Chief Justice’s request for an injunction to halt the committee’s work lacks legal merit and does not meet the threshold required under the law.
The AG’s strong defense sets the stage for the continuation of the historic proceedings, which mark the first time a sitting Chief Justice in Ghana has faced impeachment. The outcome of this process is expected to have significant implications for judicial accountability and public confidence in the legal system.
