Oliver Barker-Vormawor, one of the conveners of the #FixTheCountry campaign
Supreme Court engaged in 'intentional wrong decision-making' not stupidity - Barker-Vormawor
Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor has tasked the apex court of the land to develop tough skins relative to verbal abuse hurled against it by citizens in a democratic dispensation.
The #FixTheCountry convener was reacting to the May 25 Supreme summons in respect of University of Ghana lecturer, Prof. Michael Kpessa-Whyte for comments deemed disrespectful of the court.
"They have succeeded in turning a Supreme Court into a Stupid Court. Commonsense is now a scare commodity. A major element in the death of democracies is partisanship in the delivery of justice. Our judges need lessons in political philosophy and ethics. Time will tell !" the May 19 tweet that landed the academic in trouble read.
Barker-Vormawor, a trained lawyer, in commenting on the issue said events at the apex court were a case of 'intentional wrong decision-making' not stupidity as the academic sought to portray.
The activist stated in his post that the the stupid label in a democracy needed to be accepted and that even beyond the courts, the president and others could be referred to with such language.
"I dont believe that stupidity is what we are witnessing at the Supreme Court. I think we are witnessing intentional wrong decision-making. But I appreciate how a non lawyer can be inelegant in articulating fully how deplorable judicial decision-making has been and how far it goes to depreciate our democratic experience.
"However, I think that in a democracy citizens have the unbridled right to call any institution stupid. Including the President/Presidency; Parliament and the Judiciary. No one is immune from democratic ridicule and criticisms, no matter how boisterous or vulgar."
Barker-Vormawor also cited himself as an example of a person who is routinely abused on social media tasking the court further to take notice of a ruling that emphasized the need for the court to be accommodating of views even if unpalatable.
"I think Courts should develop tougher skins lest they may be accused of being filled with fragile ego's who lack the fortitude required of judges in a democracy. Shalom," his post concluded.
Read his full post below:
I hear that Professor Kpessa Whyte has been cited for contempt for saying that gradually the Supreme Court is being turned into a "stupid court".
I dont believe that stupidity is what we are witnessing at the Supreme Court. I think we are witnessing intentional wrong decision-making. But I appreciate how a non lawyer can be inelegant in articulating fully how deplorable judicial decision-making has been and how far it goes to depreciate our democratic experience.
However, I think that in a democracy citizens have the unbridled right to call any institution stupid. Including the President/Presidency; Parliament and the Judiciary. No one is immune from democratic ridicule and criticisms, no matter how boisterous or vulgar. People call me stupid all the time on this app, and I am not dead. In fact I dont even block them.
I invite the Supreme Court to listen to the voice of Apaloo J in WANKYIWAA v. WEREDUWAA AND ANOTHER [1963] 1 GLR 332-337 when he stressed that "No court is contaminated by bad language"
I think Courts should develop tougher skins lest they may be accused of being filled with fragile ego's who lack the fortitude required of judges in a democracy.
Shalom!
