The Supreme Court has dismissed an objection from Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin’s legal team seeking the recusal of Justice Yao Gaewu from a panel reviewing a case on the validity of four vacant parliamentary seats. The court labelled the objection as “misconceived.”
Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, leading the bench, clarified that the case is a constitutional matter, not a partisan one, and dismissed concerns that Justice Gaewu’s alleged affiliation with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) could compromise his impartiality.
After hearing the objection from Speaker Bagbin’s counsel, Thaddeus Sory, the Chief Justice adjourned briefly to deliberate before ultimately rejecting the application, confirming Justice Gaewu’s place on the panel.
In a separate motion, Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame argued that parts of the Speaker’s affidavit were “scandalous” and irrelevant, requesting the removal of paragraphs 21 and 49. Chief Justice Torkonoo indicated that this objection would be addressed in the court’s final ruling.
The session also saw a protocol reprimand for Joe Ghartey, counsel for NPP Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who was barred from making a preliminary statement after permitting junior counsel to open the defence.
The hearing will continue, as the court examines arguments concerning the Speaker’s ruling on the disputed seats.
