In a scathing critique, Mustapha Gbande, Deputy Director of Operations at the Presidency, has accused former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of stacking the judiciary with favorable judges to acquit corrupt officials from his administration who faced trial.
Gbande emphasized that the Mahama administration’s fight against corruption would be severely hampered if the judiciary is not thoroughly overhauled.
Speaking on 3FM’s midday news with Mawuena Egbeta on April 18, Gbande advocated for the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo and Electoral Commission Chair Jean Mensa, citing their alleged political exposure.
According to Gbande, their positions necessitate replacement with individuals untainted by politics.
“We haven’t amended our laws; the same law gave President Akufo-Addo the right to remove Charlotte Osei; they are all independent institutions, but he removed her. We have come, not just repeating precedence, but to deal with everyone on a case-by-case basis. The Chief Justice will have to go, the EC chairperson and other politically exposed directors will have to go, and indeed they will go, it is just a matter of time so that we can fill those places with persons who are not politically exposed,” Gbande declared.
Gbande asserted that President Akufo-Addo had deliberately packed the judiciary with sympathetic judges to shield his appointees from accountability.
“President Akufo-Addo kept and packed the judiciary so that all the appointees who will be taken to court will escape. You are calling for accountability, but if you don’t clean the judiciary…we are not going anywhere. The current Chief Justice is politically exposed.”
This development comes as President John Dramani Mahama has forwarded three petitions seeking the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo to the Council of State for advice, in accordance with Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution. The Supreme Court has scheduled May 6 to hear injunction applications against the petition to remove the Chief Justice from office.
