If an individual could be hauled for contempt, a judge must be hauled faster – CJ

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Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornor
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The Chief Justice has insisted that it is part of the code of conduct of judges not to comment on cases pending in any court of the land.

Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Esaaba Torkornoo maintained that just like individuals are hauled to court for contempt, judges are even hauled faster if they pass comments that could impair the fairness of a case.

The Chief Justice made this known on Monday, July 31 at the 7th Annual Legal Ethics Training Programme organised by the African Centre on Law and Ethics at the GIMPA Faculty of Law.

Chief Justice [3rd Left] spoke at the 7th Annual Legal Ethics Training Programme by the GIMPA Law School
“The same way a judge shall be reticent about cases pending in any court,” Chief Justice Torkornoo said.

“If we could haul an individual before courts for contempt of court for discussing a case in court, then we ought to haul a judge even faster,” she added.

This comes in the wake of the hauling of the Dormaahene, Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, before the Judicial Council for his recent comments on the criminal case involving Member of Parliament for Assin North Constituency James Gyakye Quayson.

The Paramount Chief, who is also a High Court judge, had appealed to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to direct the Attorney General to file a nolle prosequi in order to discontinue the case.

He made the plea after Mr Gyakye Quayson won the by-election held on Tuesday, June 27 after his election in 2020 was declared null and void and of no effect by the Supreme Court.