Supreme Court overrules objection to Justice Gaewu’s empanelment by Speaker Bagbin’s lawyers

The Supreme Court has squashed an objection to the empanelment of one of the five justices sitting on the application by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, challenging the court's decision to set aside the Speaker’s declaration of four seats in the House vacant.

The lead counsel of the Speaker, Thaddeus Sory, raised the objection against Justice Ernest Yaw Gaewu, citing his affiliation with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), during proceedings on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.

Lawyer Sory argued that Justice Gaewu could not be one of the members of the panel presiding over the case for the reasons stated earlier.

The five-member panel sitting on the case, which is chaired by the Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, went into conclave and returned to rule on the objection raised by Bagbin’s lawyer.

Following the declaration of four seats in Parliament vacant by Speaker Alban Bagbin, on Thursday, October 17, 2024, the Supreme Court, upon the request of the leader of the NPP caucus in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, ruled the following day for the decision in Parliament to be stayed.

The Speaker of Parliament eventually adjourned Parliament indefinitely on the matter and eventually directed his lawyers to challenge the ruling of the Supreme Court on his decision.

BAI/AE