Former General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, has opposed the establishment of a presidential committee to investigate Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, dismissing the allegations against her as “frivolous”.
He insisted that no investigation is warranted unless a grave error is established.
In an exclusive interview with Hello FM monitored by Kumasimail.com Agyapong argued that the three arms of government- the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary must work in harmony for national stability.
He emphasized the unique role of the judiciary as the bedrock of Ghana’s democratic architecture.
He said “We elect our executives and parliamentarians every four years, but the judiciary is the last bastion we all rely upon. It is the foundation of our country”
“If there have not been any grave error by the Chief Justice, I don’t think it’s necessary to set up a committee to investigate her. The allegations I am hearing are very frivolous,” Agyapong stated.
He further explained the constitutional process for handling petitions against the Chief Justice.
“The constitution is clear: a petition must be presented to the President, who is then required to review it thoroughly. Some are suggesting that the President should simply present the petition without scrutiny, but I do not believe that is what the constitution says. The President is the head of the country; he governs all of us—NPP, NDC included. If something comes to him and is wrong, he should have the courage to say so.”
Agyapong referenced accusations made during the campaign about the judiciary, particularly claims that President Akufo-Addo had “packed” the courts.
“During my primaries, I talked about the judiciary. I said as a country, we should cap the Supreme Court at 11 or even 9 justices. I feel we should remove the 70-year retirement age,” he suggested.
He elaborated on the rationale behind his proposed reforms, drawing a distinction between the legal profession and other fields.
He emphasized“Law is not like engineering, where engineers work in the sun and rain when you are aged, you can’t work. But in law, people sit in rooms to write; their brains become more fertile as they grow. They say judges get better like wine.
“In America, Supreme Court judges serve until death, unless they resign or are removed due to health issues or incarceration, and then they are replaced. But in our case, it has been pegged at 70 years. During Akufo-Addo’s eight years, vacancies arose and he filled them. I don’t believe Akufo-Addo pushed people into positions where there were no vacancies at least, not to my knowledge,” Ing. Agyapong explained.
Ing. Kwabena Agyapong concluded by stressing the importance of preserving the integrity and independence of the judiciary.
“To maintain the sanity and integrity of the judiciary, and to prevent any president from gaining undue influence through appointments, we should consider lifting the 70-year age limit for Supreme Court justices.”
By: Kwadwo Owusu
