Legal practitioner Victoria Bright has expressed disappointment in suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo for publicly criticizing the ongoing impeachment process against her. Bright argued that Torkornoo’s actions defy the procedures outlined in Article 146 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, Victoria Bright emphasized that the Constitution requires such proceedings to be conducted in camera. She noted that the Chief Justice’s decision to challenge this principle during her press conference was inappropriate and potentially damaging to the integrity of the process.
Justice Torkornoo had questioned the secrecy of the proceedings, stating that the allegations against her did not involve any national security matters. However, Bright disagreed, stating,
“I would have wished that she respected the constitutional procedures emanating from Article 146, which require these proceedings to be held in camera. We are only hearing her side at the moment, and the panel comprises eminent individuals capable of evaluating the facts impartially.”
Victoria Bright further questioned whether the suspended Chief Justice’s public remarks could be seen as an attempt to undermine the impartiality of the five-member committee overseeing the case.
“Why is one person I know, she’s the Chief Justice, but it’s not subject to one person’s interpretation. We have to respect that this has been put into the bosom of someone else, not her. So you can’t just get up and make your own rules,” she added.
