You cannot sit on her happiness, you can’t silence her – Ellen Ama Daaku defends Torkornoo
A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communication Team, Ellen Ama Daaku, has spoken in defence of suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Torkornoo, insisting that the embattled judge has the right to speak out about her ongoing suspension and the Article 146 proceedings against her.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey on Friday, June 27, Madam Daaku said Justice Torkornoo, like any Ghanaian, has the freedom to express her grievances if she feels she is being treated unfairly.
“She’s also a Ghanaian; she’s expected to say what is worrying her if she feels that the committee is not treating her fairly and that’s what she came to say and you can’t stop her from voicing her opinion,” Madam Daaku stated.
“She’s decided that she wants to do it that way you can’t tell her because she’s a Chief Justice she can’t talk about what is happening to her, you cannot sit on her happiness, you cannot push down her voice, you can’t silence her. I don’t know anywhere in the constitution where it says that you can silence people, you can’t.”
She challenged those who believe the Chief Justice breached any laws by speaking out to take legal action.
“You may disagree with how she decided to talk about it and if you think she did wrong, as you say go to court and then go and get an injunction against her or an injunction to stop her from speaking until you’re able to do that and prove to a court of competent jurisdiction that she’s not allowed to speak, she will speak and the rest of us will hear we will listen and we will analyse,” she said.
Meanwhile, critics have argued that Justice Torkornoo’s public address undermined the committee handling the investigation and revealed details of the petition against her while the process was still ongoing. Some have said such actions are inappropriate for someone holding her position.
Justice Torkornoo, currently facing impeachment under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, held a press briefing on Wednesday, June 25. During the event, she criticised the process as unconstitutional and politically driven. She also questioned the decision to hold the proceedings at Adu Lodge, a government facility with historical links to the 1981 murder of three High Court judges and a military officer, one of whom was her uncle.
The Chief Justice said resigning would wrongly suggest guilt and only serve to encourage those allegedly trying to remove her from office through political influence. She further cited violations of her rights and procedural irregularities, describing the situation as a conspiracy to oust her.
In response, government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu described her comments as “most regrettable” and reaffirmed President John Mahama’s commitment to due process and the rule of law.