Chief Justice nominee Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has dispelled the notion that the judiciary uses contempt summons to intimidate its critics.
Rather, she said contempt summons are a tool the courts use to protect the sanctity of the judicial system.
According to her, this is to prevent the bastardisation of the judiciary.
“The issuing of contempt summons has always been a tool that has been used by courts to ensure that the dignity of the court is not scandalized.
“The [Supreme] Court is one out of 400 courts, and it is the ultimate voice, so whenever the court acts, whether it is the High Court, Court of Appeal, or Supreme Court, it is to ensure that the Justice system is not scandalised,” Justice Torkornoo said on Friday, May 26, when she appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court issued summons to a failed parliamentary candidate aspirant of the National Democratic Congress, Dr. Michael Kpessa-Whyte to explain why he should not be held in contempt of the court for his Twitter post claiming the Supreme Court was being turned into a “Stupid Court”.
In the said tweet, the lecturer also criticised the current state of Ghana’s judiciary, accusing it of partisanship and lacking common sense.
Dr. Kpessa-Whyte’s tweets came shortly after the Supreme Court ordered Parliament to remove the name of NDC MP James Gyakye Quayson from its records due to procedural breaches during his nomination and election in 2020.
Dr. Michael Kpessa-Whyte has since apologised for his comments.
According to the lecturer, he did not intend to “insult” the apex court.
In a press statement he issued on Thursday, May 25, Dr. Kpessa-Whyte thus issued an unqualified apology to the judiciary.
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