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Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has renewed calls for sweeping constitutional reforms to safeguard judicial independence, following the recent removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
Speaking on Channel One TV on Monday, September 1, Mr. Kpebu criticised Article 144 of the 1992 Constitution, which grants the President the authority to appoint the Chief Justice.
“To safeguard judicial independence, we have long advocated for change. Since last year, when her letter to Akufo-Addo became public, we have been pressing this matter,” he noted. “In the Constitution, we do not want the President to be the one to appoint Chief Justices under Article 144. We want that provision removed.”
According to him, eliminating presidential involvement in the appointment process is crucial to insulating the judiciary from political influence and ensuring fairness in the administration of justice.
Beyond Article 144, Kpebu also called for reforms to establish a more transparent and balanced framework for addressing judicial misconduct.
“One of the things we must do is categorise misconduct, to distinguish between serious offences and minor ones,” he explained. “Without such categorisation, there is the danger that trivial issues may be treated with the same severity as grave breaches, leading to disproportionate consequences such as removal from office.”
His comments add to the growing debate on judicial reforms, especially in the wake of Justice Torkornoo’s removal from office.
