Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, has signaled a possible legal challenge to the constitutionality of the ongoing process for the potential removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, May 24, 2025, Assafuah strongly suggested that the President may not have the authority to act solely on the recommendation of the five-member committee set up to probe the petitions against the Chief Justice, without allowing room for an appeal. "That is why I'm saying that I may seek an interpretation to that effect that there is a right of appeal that is supposed to be given," Assafuah stated.
In building his argument, the lawmaker questioned the finality of the committee's powers under Article 125(3) of the Constitution and compared the current situation to the workings of Commissions of Inquiry and the National House of Chiefs, which allow for appeals. "This committee per my understanding of Article 125(3) shall not or should not be given final judicial power.
When you check how Commission of Inquiries are supposed to be done, One, it is supposed to be done in public - The decision of the Inquiry or if you like, the decision as to what will be the resultant effect of the decision of the decision of Commission of Inquiry is that, it is supposed to be seen as a high court decision and anybody who wants to appeal will have to do so at the Court of Appeal.
