Former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, says the process to remove Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo cannot be influenced by the President.
However, he expressed surprise at the grounds cited in three petitions circulating on social media, which he has reviewed.
Speaking on Channel One’s Newsroom on Thursday, April 17, Osei-Owusu acknowledged that social media can be a source of misinformation, but questioned the credibility of the petitions if their content is accurate.
“My position is that the process cannot be influenced by the president but I will be very much surprised and disappointed if the contents or the grounds as contained in the three petitions I have read—of course I stand to be corrected if those are not the genuine grounds,” he stated.
He emphasized the need to protect judicial independence and ensure that any moves to remove the Chief Justice are based on credible and substantial evidence.
“Social media is also a source of misinformation, I have read something. If that is truly the content, the basis for which the petitioners are asking that the CJ be removed, I will be very surprised, disappointed and truly embarrassed if any committee will come to a conclusion that based on such petition, the CJ of Ghana will be removed. That is where the NPP’s concerns come into play,” he added.
His comments come amid growing public debate over the petitions and their implications for the judiciary’s integrity and independence.
Read also…
Don’t remove Chief Justice on trivial grounds – Manhyia South MP cautions