Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has defended former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo over allegations of political bias in handling constitutional cases.
In an interview on Joy News Afenyo-Markin questioned the basis of criticisms directed at the Chief Justice, particularly in relation to the Markin v. Speaker of Parliament case.
“What did she do wrong in that Markin case?” he asked. “A constitutional matter of that urgent nature had been occasioned by a pronouncement by the Speaker.
2Government business had been stalled, and you don’t think that a constitutional court had a bona fide responsibility in that circumstance to consider and determine the matter? I’m surprised why people trivialize everything.”
He dismissed claims that the Chief Justice acted out of political motivation, insisting her actions were grounded in law.
“What was Torkornoo’s interest, the Chief Justice, what was her interest? Did she have any interest personal to her other than the Constitution?” he said. “The accusation is that she had an NPP interest? Oh, come on. Let’s be fair.”
Afenyo-Markin further drew parallels to Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, suggesting that if such logic were applied, he could equally be accused of bias toward the NDC.
“So Baffoe-Bonnie also has an NDC interest? That is why he was in a hurry to empanel, to determine the injunction and get them dismissed. But the substantive matter, he will shut his eyes on it,” Afenyo-Markin argued.
He added that he is still waiting to see when Justice Baffoe-Bonnie “would empanel the court to look into the substantive matters, those by the Chief Justice herself and other civil society organizations.”
When asked if he was alleging that Justice Baffoe-Bonnie was slowing down the case to serve his own interest, Afenyo-Markin responded, “By his conduct, it’s obvious.”
