"Impeachment petition against Chief Justice lacks legal basis"

Law Professor,

He said he doesn't understand the petition to remove Sophia Akuffo adding that "there is no need to allow it to sit there and cast a cloud on the Chief Justice and the Judiciary."

In a Facebook post, he wrote "I do not understand the petition for the removal of the Chief Justice. It seems to lack a factual or a legal basis. It must be dismissed immediately. There is no need to allow it to sit there and cast a cloud on the Chief Justice and the Judiciary."

In his petition, he said “the conduct of the sitting Chief Justice…clearly shows her incompetence in managing the highest office of the judiciary which has a constitutional mandate to be fair, just and equitable in the application of the laws of Ghana”.

The Executive Director of the Alliance For Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) further said the African Court for Human and People’s Rights (AfCHPR) last year issued a provisional measure to have all proceedings halted on the Woyome V Republic of Ghana case.

“Mr. President, last year when the interim measure was issued on the state, there were several pronouncements by the deputy Attorney General Godfred Dame indicating that Ghana was not bound by the measure,” he stated in his petition to President Akufo-Addo on Monday.

“It was a bit worrying to see the deputy attorney general espouse a position that was clearly in contravention with Article 40 under which the treaty derives its powers locally.

“More worrying was the Supreme Court also came out with a position that it does not share it’s powers with any other body."

Under Article 146 (6) of the 1992 Constitution, if the president is petitioned for the removal of the Chief Justice, he shall in consultation with the Council of State appoint a committee consisting of two justices of the Supreme Court.

“The committee appointed under clause (6) of this article shall inquire into the petition and recommend to the President whether the Chief Justice ought to be removed from office.”