Chief Justice Torkornoo has denied our request to replace judge on Cecilia Dapaah’s case – OSP

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has stated that the Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, has denied its request to remove the High Court judge, Justice Edward Twum, from presiding over all its cases.

In a ‘Public Notice’ shared on X on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, the OSP indicated it was informed of the decision of the Chief Justice in a letter from the Judicial Secretary.

“By a letter dated 25 October 2023, the Judicial Secretary informed The Special Prosecutor that the Chief Justice is unable to accede to the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) request for his lordship Justice Edward Twum to be recused and removed from all cases involving the OSP pending before him,” part of the notice reads.

It can be recalled that the OSP, on October 12, 2023, petitioned the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, to remove Justice Edward Twum from all cases in court that involved the OSP and Cecilia Dapaah.

The office argued that the judge had been prejudiced in his handling of the cases.

After the office filed this petition with the CJ, subsequent reports suggested that it had made a U-turn on its decision.

However, the office, in a post on October 18, 2023, refuted these reports, stating that it still stands by its petition to remove Justice Edward Twum from cases involving the OSP

“The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has not withdrawn its request to the Chief Justice for the recusal and removal of his Lordship Justice Edward Twum from all cases pending before him involving the OSP.

“The public is urged to disregard all reports to the contrary,” the tweet stated.

Background:

Cecilia Dapaah is currently under investigation by the OSP for corruption and corruption-related offences after two of her house helps have been charged with stealing more than $1 million, €300,000 in cash, and other valuable items from her residence at Abelemkpe.

The OSP, for a second time, froze the accounts of the embattled former minister effective September 5, 2023, after an Accra High Court directed the office to unfreeze the accounts and investments of Madam Cecilia Dapaah and return her seized monies after an initial freeze order.

GhanaWeb, on August 9, 2023, reported that the embattled former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah’s assets and bank accounts containing millions of dollars and cedis had been frozen by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

On October 16, 2023, the OSP revoked the freeze order on five of the bank accounts belonging to Cecilia Dapaah.

The office indicated that although it has released five of the bank accounts, the freezing order is still in force for the other bank accounts and financial assets of the embattled former minister.

View the Public Statement in the post below:

BAI/

Public Notice

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By a letter dated 25 October 2023, the Judicial Secretary informed The Special Prosecutor that, the Chief Justice is unable to accede to the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) request for his lordship Justice Edward Twum to be recused and removed from…

— Office of the Special Prosecutor-Ghana (@ospghana) October 25, 2023

 

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