Private Legal Practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has condemned the Supreme Court’s decision to keep Justice Ernest Gaewu on the panel presiding over the 4 Vancant Seats controversy in Parliament.
Lawyers of Speaker Bagbin put in an application to remove Justice Ernest Gaewu from the case of the 4 vacant seats in Parliament.
According to him, Justice Ernest Gaewu once contested as parliamentary candidate on the ticket of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Volta region.
Counsel for the Speaker, Thaddeus Sory, during proceedings in court Wednesday, October 30, 2024, said Justice Gaewu’s membership of the NPP and sitting as a judge on a matter whose outcome may affect the interest of the party may compromise his judgement.
Ghana’s Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, however threw out the application by the Speaker of Parliament to have Justice Gaewu recuse himself from the panel to hear the case on whether or not the apex court could set aside his declaration of four seats vacant.
According to the Chief Justice, the Supreme Court does not prevent anyone from serving as a judge of the apex court because they belonged to a political party.
Lawyer Martin Kpebu is of a different view. He agrees the case is one between the NPP and NDC, and is positive Justice Gaewu being on the panel will taint the case.
“Justice Ernest Gaewu is an NPP member and should not be on the panel. It’s simple, there are over 10 Justices of the Supreme Court, so why should we put such a person there? The optics are bad, where are headed?” Martin Kpebu queried.
Justice Ernest Gaewu is an NPP member and should not be on the panel. It’s simple, there are over 10 Justices of the Supreme Court, so why should we put such a person there? The optics are bad, where are headed? – Martin Kpebu.#JoySMS pic.twitter.com/BpyorZrnfz
— Joy 99.7 FM (@Joy997FM) October 31, 2024
