Ghana parliament reviews petition on Baffoe-Bonnie
Ghana’s president nominated Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie for chief justice on Tuesday despite a pending petition seeking his removal from the bench. The nomination follows the recent ouster of former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo.
Citizen Gbande Nabin Yusif filed the October 6 petition alleging Baffoe-Bonnie met with litigants in an active lawsuit and commented publicly on pending matters. Yusif argues these actions violate judicial conduct standards requiring impartiality and independence.
Former Ghana School of Law director Kweku Ansah Asare dismissed the complaint as lacking merit. He said the meetings were a matter of administrative courtesy rather than judicial misconduct.
Parliament’s Appointments Committee will conduct public hearings before lawmakers vote on the nomination. Legal experts debate whether Ghana needs clearer standards defining judicial misconduct under constitutional provisions.
