Godfred Dame, legal counsel for suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, has opposed calls for proceedings related to her removal to be held in camera, arguing that transparency is essential due to the intense public scrutiny she has already endured.
In an interview with Citi News’ Hanson Agyemang on Thursday, May 22, Dame stressed that the petition against the Chief Justice has been widely debated in the public domain, with high-ranking government officials openly criticizing her. Yet, he noted, the state now insists on conducting the proceedings in private when it comes to her defense.
“It cannot be a secret. There ought to be light on the proceeding because she has already been damaged in the public domain,” Dame stated, underscoring the importance of fairness and openness in the process.
He further argued that there is no legitimate basis for a closed-door hearing, as the case poses no threat to public order, safety, or national interest. Instead, he believes the government’s conduct throughout the process reinforces the need for a public hearing.
“There is nothing which threatens public harm, public order or public safety in this proceeding such as to warrant that it should be in the dark or in camera,” Dame asserted.
“On the contrary, the conduct of the government so far, together with what has been witnessed in the whole of proceedings, will rather require that it ought to be in the public.”
His comments come amid ongoing legal disputes surrounding Justice Torkornoo’s suspension. The Chief Justice has filed a motion at the Supreme Court seeking an interlocutory injunction to halt the activities of the presidential committee investigating petitions for her removal.
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