A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and respected legal practitioner, Edudzi Kudzo Tameklo, has stepped forward to explain the truth behind much-talked-about CCTV footage. The video allegedly showed lawyer Thaddeus Sory meeting with some Supreme Court judges, sparking rumours of improper conduct.

But according to Edudzi, what the video actually shows is very different from what some people—especially members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)—have been claiming.

Setting the Record Straight

The issue began when some NPP members and their media partners started spreading claims that lawyer Thaddeus Sory had a secret meeting with Supreme Court judges. They suggested this meeting had something to do with the ongoing petition to remove the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Gertrude Torkornoo, from office.

However, Tameklo says the CCTV footage destroys this narrative. He says what happened was far from the “so-called dinner meeting” that people have been talking about.

“This is just another political gimmick,” Tameklo said. “The video shows a simple and public interaction, not a hidden or private meeting.”

What the CCTV Video Shows

Tameklo described what viewers can see in the restaurant’s CCTV footage:

Lawyer Sory and Businessman Having a Meal
The footage shows Thaddeus Sory sitting at a table in the middle of the restaurant. He is not alone—he’s there with businessman Kotei Dzani, and the two are eating and talking.

Arrival of the Judges

A group of three individuals, including Justice Yoni Kulendi, walk into the restaurant. One of them walks right past Sory’s table and doesn’t even notice him.

Friendly Greeting, Nothing More

Justice Kulendi sees Mr. Dzani and stops to shake hands with him. He also greets Sory briefly. According to Tameklo, it’s just a “chitchat”—a polite, casual greeting between legal colleagues.

Sory Gets Up to Greet Another Judge

When Sory notices another judge in the restaurant, he gets up to greet him—a move that Tameklo says is normal and respectful within Ghana’s legal profession.

Entire Interaction Lasts Less Than a Minute

From the moment of greeting to the time they leave, the entire engagement takes less than a minute, proving there was no deep conversation or private meeting.

Key Points from the Video

According to Edudzi Tameklo, the footage makes the following things clear:

There was no planned or private meeting between Thaddeus Sory and the judges.

The interaction was purely out of respect and courtesy, which is normal among lawyers and judges.

Justice Pwamang, who was mentioned in earlier rumours, does not appear in the footage at all.

Justice Asiedu initially didn’t even notice Sory and only looked his way after Justice Kulendi pointed him out.

There is also a second CCTV clip from the entrance area of the restaurant. It shows the judges entering and leaving the restaurant in a normal, open way—nothing secretive or hidden.

“Let Ghanaians Watch and Decide for Themselves” – Tameklo

Tameklo is calling on the public to watch the video themselves and judge what truly happened.

“What the video shows is simply a group of people exchanging greetings in public,” he said. “There was no backdoor meeting, no deal-making, and no secret plot.”

He strongly believes that the rumours are being pushed by some political actors just to create confusion and throw mud at the Judiciary.

“All this noise about a dinner is just political mischief,” Tameklo added. “It’s a shame how some people try to destroy the image of our courts for political gain.”

Call for Responsible Commentary

Tameklo is also urging the media, political parties, and the public to stop making baseless accusations that harm the reputation of Ghana’s legal system. He believes such “poisonous allegations” only weaken public trust and disrespect hardworking professionals in the legal field.

“Let’s not turn everything into politics,” he warned. “Let’s be fair to people, especially when there’s clear evidence that shows the truth.”

Respect for Facts Over Political Spin

At a time when Ghana’s democracy and legal system are under intense public watch, truth and fairness must guide public conversations. The claims about a secret dinner meeting have now been discredited by actual footage, which shows nothing more than a brief, courteous encounter in a public place.

Tameklo’s explanation and the CCTV video make it clear: there was no improper meeting. Just legal professionals crossing paths, greeting each other, and moving on.

Let’s focus on the facts—and leave out the drama.

Ansa-Asare’s Take

Former Director of the Ghana School of Law, Kwaku Ansa-Asare, has dismissed a petition seeking to dissolve the five-member committee probing suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, describing it as lacking merit. He insists the judicial process must proceed without interruption.

The controversy deepened when a Ghanaian citizen filed a counter-petition on May 19, addressed to President John Dramani Mahama, demanding the committee’s immediate dissolution. The petitioner alleged that the committee’s integrity had been compromised due to judicial ethics violations by some members, specifically citing a meeting between Justices Gabriel Pwamang and Samuel Adibu-Asiedu (both committee members) and Thaddeus Sory, the lawyer who represents one of the petitioners seeking the Chief Justice’s removal.

The alleged encounter occurred at a restaurant in Accra on May 15, the same day the committee began its in-camera hearings. However, after reviewing CCTV footage of the incident, Ansa-Asare concluded that the claims were unfounded.

Speaking on Joy News’ The Pulse, he argued:

“Asking the president to dissolve the committee probing the petition merely because of a 20-second encounter at a restaurant where the people had converged to celebrate their colleague’s birthday, I think it should be dismissed. I don’t think that on both precedence and rule of court and the law, this is something that the president should worry himself about. He has many more serious problems to tackle than spending time to talk about an encounter that didn’t last more than 20 seconds”.

Ansa-Asare further scrutinised the footage, stating:

“This didn’t last more than 20 seconds. There is considerable doubt as to the nature of their conversation. Whether the conversation centred around the ongoing petition, there is considerable doubt about that.”

He dismissed allegations against Justice Pwamang, who was not present at the restaurant, as “frivolous.” Regarding Justice Adibu-Asiedu, he noted: “Justice Asiedu was there, but we have all seen that the conversation was not about the ongoing petition. What can four or so people talk about in 20 seconds? I would say that it doesn’t measure up to the standard.”

Ansa-Asare emphasised that legal challenges to judicial impartiality must be based on substantive evidence, not fleeting interactions.

“When we measure it against the fact that the action the Chief Justice has brought is seeking to have the two justices disqualified, legally, this is a matter or question of fact. And questions of fact will depend on the surroundings and circumstances of the facts of the case.”