Justice Torkonoo bares teeth at journalists

Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, the Appeals Court judge who was appointed by the Chief Justice to seat on all cases relating to the judicial corruption scandal today warned journalists reporting on the matter to desist from inaccurate reportage of the episode.

The visibly angry judge specifically, mentioned a reporter of the Ghanaian Times newspaper, who she says has been reporting erroneous information on the ongoing hearing in the scandal.

Torkonoo is facing a petition and an application of bias brought against her by embattled judge Paul Derry.

Justice Dery wants the Supreme Court to disqualify Justice Torkornoo from sitting on his legal suits.

His writ of claim averred, “That this Honourable Court make an order prohibiting the trial court judge, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, from presiding over suit number AP 228/2015 and AP 232/2015.”

The writ, dated October 29, 2015, filed by Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo – lawyers for Justice Dery – claimed that Justice Torkornoo “exhibited bias or a real likelihood of bias when she dismissed” his contempt case against the undercover journalist and four others on September 29 this year without giving him a hearing.

The embattled judge, who was named among 22 high court judges caught on video allegedly taking bribes from litigants to influence judgements, went to the high court to stop Anas and the four others from publicly screening the said video on September 22 and 23.