Afenyo-Markin accuses Chief Justice of ‘Grand Conspiracy’ against Torkornoo
The political tension between Parliament and the Judiciary deepened on Thursday after Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin accused Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie of orchestrating a “grand conspiracy” against former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo.
Afenyo-Markin’s accusation follows the Supreme Court’s decision to fix today, Friday, August 21, as the date to rule on an injunction application filed by MP for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, against the Court’s decision to hear cases during the legal vacation.
Justice Torkornoo was removed from office earlier this year after a controversial process that split public opinion. Her loyalists believe her removal was politically engineered by the NDC government with tacit support from some judges.
Addressing journalists, Afenyo-Markin alleged that the new leadership of the judiciary is selectively empaneling judges and rushing cases to embarrass allies of the former CJ and silence dissent within the bench.”
This is not justice. This is a grand conspiracy against Torkornoo and all who stood with her. Why must cases be heard during vacation when our rules are clear? The CJ must not be seen as doing the bidding of the Executive,” he said.
The Chief Justice’s office has not responded directly, but sources close to the Judicial Service describe the claims as “baseless and dangerous.”
Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie is expected to preside over a five-member panel today that will determine whether vacation sittings are unconstitutional. The ruling will have far-reaching implications for ongoing political cases, including the SALL election petition and the Assin North matter.
The Ghana Bar Association has urged calm, calling on politicians to respect judicial independence and refrain from attacks that erode public confidence in the courts.
Security has been heightened around the Supreme Court ahead of today’s ruling.
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