Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has urged members of Ghana’s judiciary to stand united in defense of their institution, following the controversial suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo.
Addressing protesters during the “Save the Judiciary” demonstration in Accra on Monday, Afenyo-Markin warned that the move against the Chief Justice poses a direct threat to judicial independence and the country’s democratic framework.
“The judiciary is our last hope, and we believe that what is happening undermines our democracy,” he declared.
“For the Chief Justice to be singled out for this unfortunate attack—on the basis of a flimsy, pedestrian petition—is unacceptable.”
The protest, organised by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its allied groups, included the formal submission of a petition to the Supreme Court.
The Minority Leader used the occasion to criticise the role of the Council of State, accusing it of failing in its advisory duties to the government.
“The Council of State has failed the government,” Afenyo-Markin said.
“We want you [judges] to put aside your individual differences and know that it is your institution that is under attack. Maybe today it is Torkonoo; tomorrow, it may be you.”
He stressed that judicial officers should not feel beholden to the political powers of the day, adding, “You don’t serve at the whims and caprices of a political party or a government.”
The suspension of Chief Justice Torkonoo has sparked widespread debate across political and legal circles, with critics describing it as a dangerous precedent that could erode judicial neutrality.
