President John Dramani Mahama has taken a strategic but unannounced backstep from his earlier position that he has established ‘prima facie’ against Chief Justice Torkornoo.
This is a change in tune with regard to the Committee established to probe the petitions against the Chef Justice.
Following pressure from the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and other well-meaning interest groups, the Presidency now states that the Committee established by the President and the Council of State would now ‘inquire’ into the petitions against Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Torkornoo.
The last communication from the President had stated that the President had established prima face against the Chief Justice, but the release yesterday is a clear step back from that position.
This announcement that the President had established prima facie against Torkornoo created a firestorm that is still brewing.
However, in another statement yesterday, the Presidency announced that the Committee set up by President John Dramani Mahama to inquire into three petitions filed against the Chief Justice, will commence hearings, Thursday 15th May.
A statement issued by Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Presidential Spokesman and Minister of State in-charge of Government Communications, copied to the Ghana News Agency said the five-member Committee chaired by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang of the Supreme Court, was set up by the President in accordance with Article 146(6) of the 1992 constitution and in consultation with the Council of State, following a determination of a prima facie case against the Chief Justice.
It said the committee would sit three times a week and present their recommendations to the President upon completion of their work.
GNA
