The Chief Justice nominee Gertrude EsaabaTorkornoo says the Supreme Court is not biased as some people assumed when delivering rulings on political cases.
According to her, “Whenever you encounter a unanimous decision, it tells you that the law is totally on the side of the position taken by the court, that every member of the court in fidelity to their judicial oath cannot take a different position, it tells you that, that is what the law is. So the only response is to learn from what the law says, it is not a matter of bias, it is a matter of the legal position.”
Speaking before the Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Friday, May 26, 2023, she explained that a unanimous decision by the apex court indicates that the decision is based on the law and not influenced by bias.
Her response followed the allegations from the members of the National Democratic Congress, who are always accusing the Supreme Court of being biased following a series of defeats during the Election petition hearing, in which they claimed the bench tends to favor the NPP during cases between the two parties.
In her explanation, she said people lose cases on technicalities and seek to find excuses for their loss, adding that people must have a firm grasp of legal principles before making judgments.
In her defense of the decision by the Supreme Court to issue contempt summons to persons who make insulting comments or denigrate the image of the apex court, she said summoning people for contempt is a tool use to keep the dignity and reputation of the Courts in Ghana.
“The issuing of contempt summons has always been a tool that has been used by courts to ensure that the dignity of the court is not scandalized. The [Supreme] Court is one out of 400 courts, and it is the ultimate voice, so whenever the court acts, whether it is the High Court, Court of Appeal, or Supreme Court, it is to ensure that the Justice system is not scandalized,” Justice Torkornoo said during her vetting.
BY Daniel Bampoe