Supreme Court should be worried about allegations of political alignment – Prof. Kofi Abotsi

Professor Ernest Kofi Abotsi, Dean of the UPSA Law School, has raised concerns about the integrity of Ghana’s Supreme Court amid allegations of political allegiance.

His remarks respond to a wave of public scepticism surrounding the Court’s impartiality, especially as it prepares to oversee critical decisions in the upcoming December elections.

“Should the Supreme Court worry about allegations of political alignments? Yes, it should,” Prof. Abotsi posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

He further emphasised the significance of public perception in the judiciary’s role, stating, “For an institution vested with the authority of finally determining who wins the December elections, the perception of its doing justice is as important as it’s actually doing justice.”

Prof. Abotsi’s remarks follow the Supreme Court's recent dismissal when Justice Ernest Gaewu’s role on a panel involving a case filed by Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin was challenged.

The objection, raised on October 30, was argued by Thaddeus Sory, counsel for Speaker Bagbin.

Lawyer Thaddeus Sory argued that Justice Gaewu’s past political affiliations, including standing as a former parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) could compromise his neutrality.

His challenge focused on Gaewu’s previous ties to the ruling NPP, raising concerns that his past political involvement might create an appearance of bias.

However, the Court dismissed the objection, allowing Justice Gaewu to remain on the panel.