The Ghana Bar Association is powerless to ask Mahama to lift the Chief Justice’s suspension. The presence of so many members of political parties in the judicial system or the GBA is not exceptional. However, it is worrying and a sign that Ghana’s judiciary and democracy are in trouble when an independent judiciary body comes out and gives the president an order to lift the suspension of the chief justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, a woman who has committed both financial and official crimes.
The call by Ghana’s independent judiciary body, demanding President John Mahama reinstate Gertrude Torkornoo, a chief justice who helped and encouraged corruption in the previous administration, which caused the country’s economy, businesses, and investments to collapse, didn’t only shock Ghanaians but also the biggest threat to the country’s democracy, judiciary system, and anti-corruption efforts. However, regardless of how difficult the fight is, the country will not fall into the hands of criminal judges.
Although the Ghana Bar Association has honorable and law-abiding judges and attorneys, it shouldn’t be a surprise to Ghanaians that a small number of its criminals still want to violate the constitution and collaborate with the corrupt, incompetent, and slothful Akufo-Addo to benefit them. In Ghana, everything is possible; therefore, if men of God could simply join crooks to steal national assets and embezzle $58 million invested in a swimming pool foundation cathedral, then many judges wouldn’t be strong enough to resist enticing large bribes.
Judicial corruption is one of the most dangerous criminal phenomena. Even though the practice of receiving bribes in the judiciary system is frightening and has flooded the nation’s banks, this crime, which occurs daily, continues to threaten life, cause poverty, and gradually worsen the economic and social situation of the populace. Without money, there would be no justice, and occasionally bribery would result in a verdict that favored the guilty. That is what Gertrude Torkornoo stands for.
Why is corruption in the judiciary taking place in Ghana getting worse when there is no prospect of a stronger legal system? This was caused by Mafioso Akufo-Addo, who stacked the Supreme Court with the most NPP judges and encouraged corruption in every institution. Even though the new administration has fired many corrupt NPP politicians who were working in some of the institutions, there are still many remnants of destructive NPP politicians sabotaging Mahama’s efforts.
The Ghana Bar Association has now publicly identified itself as an NPP body and is urging President John Mahama to lift the suspension on Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, a woman who has sided with former President Nana Akufo-Addo and his party on a number of high-profile political cases. This issue appears to be endless, since under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government, the average layperson has suffered from the actions of the judicial system under Kwasi Anin-Yeboah and Gertrude Torkornoo.
The downfall of the Ghana Bar Association is comparable to the failure of every institution under the previous NPP government. The law and the code of ethics that regulate Ghana’s judicial system are actually unknown to them. Why should the leaders of the Ghana Bar Association advocate that the president lift the chief justice’s suspension when the law stipulates that it is unprofessional for any judicial body other than the Supreme Court to render a decision while a matter is still pending?
Even though it is illegal for the chief justice to select her panel of judges to defend her against her removal, the Ghana Bar Association disappointed Ghanaians and remained quiet over the issue. The judicial body’s disrespect for the law and the president is unacceptable. They should not abuse their power to appoint a woman responsible for Ghana’s demise as its chief justice if they are not willing to rebuild the country’s judiciary, which was destroyed by the reckless NPP regime.
Ghana requires a unique and respectable judicial system that will support economic growth, generate jobs for young people, and elevate the country; therefore, the suspension of Gertrude Torkornoo will not be revoked for her to return as chief justice to carry on with the country’s destruction.
