Did you also name NDC judges to the office of president? – Mahama is “fired” by former CJ Sophia Akuffo

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Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has addressed the current political stance taken by former President Jon Dramani Mahama on the subject of politically biased judges.

The retiring CJ criticized political labeling of judges as unwarranted pressure that occasionally affects them while doing their jobs in a yet-to-be-released interview with Asaase Radio.

Regarding the remarks made by the former president, she made the point that Mahama had appointed judges on the opposing side of the bench while he was president before implying that they had been influenced politically. “He has been through the process of appointing other people before, so, was it because they were NDC?” she quizzed.

The labeling, according to Akuffo, who served as Ghana’s second female Chief Justice, is unsettling due to its possible consequences. She added that it is even more concerning when those who are not known to have any political allegiances are marked.

“It always irritates me when people make statements like, ‘This person is an NPP judge, this person is an NDC judge, but you have never seen them on any party’s platform or rally. And these are only a few of the pointless demands made on the judiciary.

“What difference will that tag make to me, my career and my work. I am already there. You think I am NDC, at the end of the day, so what? Sometimes, it gets to you,” she admitted.

What Mahama said:

“You can see what the current president has done, he has appointed the biggest number of judges onto the bench, it is more than 80 towards 100 and counting,” he noted in a virtual address to the 3rd Annual Lawyers Conference of the NDC on Saturday, September 2.

“He has packed the court and we know they have packed the court because they want to avoid accountability after they have left office. We must be prepared as NDC legal persons to also go onto the bench so that we can balance out the judiciary.

“Currently, the judiciary is packed with NPP-inclined judges because this government has carried out a deliberate policy of putting their people on to the bench.

“So, I encourage some of you to look at careers on the bench so that we can balance out what the current situation is,” he added.

With claims that politically exposed individuals have been nominated by the president, the matter of appointments to the bench has gained attention under this government.

Source:Radiooneghana.com