Justice Torkornoo calls for rapid application of contempt against judges who comment on court cases

Ghana’s Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, has called for a more expeditious application of contempt proceedings against judges who make comments on ongoing court cases.

During the 7th Annual Legal Ethics Training Programme organized by the African Centre on Law and Ethics (ACLE) at GIMPA’s law faculty, she emphasized that judges should be held to the same standards as ordinary citizens when it comes to commenting on pending cases.

Justice Torkornoo cited the code of conduct for judges, which explicitly prohibits them from making public statements that could influence the fairness or outcome of pending or impending court matters. She stressed the importance of upholding these ethical standards and urged for swift action when judges are found to have violated them.

The Chief Justice highlighted the need to apply the same contempt proceedings to judges as they do to individuals who discuss cases in court. She firmly expressed that judges should refrain from making any public or non-public statements that could interfere with a fair trial or hearing.

In a related context, Dormaahene Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, a traditional leader and high court judge, appealed to the President and the Attorney General to halt and terminate the trial of Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson.

The Chief Justice’s stance comes after a Ghana School of Law student known as “Ama Governor” on social media was denied the call to the bar following a petition to the General Legal Council about her conduct on social media.

Justice Torkornoo justified the decision not to admit individuals with “obscene” and “offensive” conduct to the bar. She emphasized that proper conduct is essential for those entering the legal sector, and behavior on social media and ex parte communications for judges should be carefully considered in such matters.

Source – citinewsroom.com