Godfred Dame defends role in CJ suspension case, rejects conflict of interest claims

Former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame has pushed back against criticism over his decision to represent suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo in her legal battle against the committee investigating her removal from office.

Amid rising concerns about potential conflicts of interest, Mr. Dame insists that his involvement is constitutionally driven, not personal.

Speaking on Joy FM, Dame dismissed concerns raised by legal experts, including Prof. Kwaku Ansa-Asare, former head of the Ghana School of Law. Prof. Ansa-Asare had earlier questioned the optics of Dame’s representation, pointing out that Justice Torkornoo was appointed during Dame’s tenure as Attorney General under the previous administration.

According to the professor, this connection may raise doubts about the neutrality of the process, stating:

But Mr Dame rejected such views, calling them “baseless and without merit.” He clarified that the injunction application he filed was not about protecting an individual but about defending the constitutional framework surrounding judicial removals.

He argued that his legal challenge aims to spotlight procedural anomalies in how the Chief Justice’s suspension was executed, particularly questioning the legality of President Mahama’s actions under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.

Legal observers say the case underscores broader questions about the separation of powers and judicial independence in Ghana. The application before the Supreme Court seeks to halt the ongoing removal proceedings and suspend the enforcement of the presidential directive that sidelined the Chief Justice in April 2025.

The five-member committee currently reviewing the petition includes senior judicial figures such as Justices Gabriel Pwamang and Samuel Adibu-Asiedu and former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo.

As the court’s ruling is awaited, the legal and political implications of the case continue to dominate public discourse, with many viewing it as a pivotal moment for the rule of law in Ghana.