Supreme Court Dismisses Request for Justice Gaewu’s Recusal in Vacant Seats Hearing

The Supreme Court of Ghana has dismissed an objection from the legal team of Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, challenging Justice Yao Gaewu’s presence on the panel hearing the case on the four disputed parliamentary seats. Speaker Bagbin’s counsel argued that Justice Gaewu’s alleged affiliation with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) could influence his impartiality. Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, leading the bench, deemed the objection “misconceived” and confirmed Justice Gaewu would remain on the panel, asserting that the matter is a constitutional issue, not one centered on party politics.

The case revolves around a legal dispute challenging Speaker Bagbin’s ruling that declared four parliamentary seats vacant. During the proceedings, the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, submitted a motion seeking to remove paragraphs 21 and 49 from Speaker Bagbin’s affidavit, labeling these statements “scandalous” and irrelevant to the case. Chief Justice Torkonoo acknowledged the motion, stating that the objection would be evaluated in the court’s final judgment.

In a separate development, the court barred Joe Ghartey, counsel for NPP Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, from making a preliminary statement after he permitted junior counsel to initiate the defense. The court reprimanded Ghartey for this breach of protocol, reiterating the importance of adherence to procedural norms.

The Supreme Court will continue with the hearing as it advances into the core arguments on the legality of Speaker Bagbin’s ruling.