- Supreme Court Keeps Justice Gaewu on Bagbin Case
- Conflict of Interest Claim Over Past NPP Ties Dismissed
- Speaker Bagbin Seeks to Overturn Ruling on Vacant Seats
The Supreme Court of Ghana has dismissed an objection to Justice Ernest Gaewu’s empaneling in a case involving Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin. The objection, raised by Thaddeus Sory, a lawyer for the Speaker, cited Justice Gaewu’s prior political ties as a potential conflict of interest.
On Wednesday, October 30, the court heard arguments from Sory, who highlighted Justice Gaewu’s past role as a parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ghana’s current ruling party. Sory argued that Gaewu’s previous affiliations could influence his decisions in the case.
Lawyers for Speaker Bagbin requested Justice Gaewu’s recusal to ensure impartiality, citing concerns that his ties to the NPP could impact his judgment. They noted that his previous political candidacy could create bias in cases involving parliamentary decisions, which require a fair and balanced judicial approach.
The Supreme Court began hearings on the case on October 30, with Speaker Bagbin seeking to overturn the court’s earlier ruling. The prior decision granted a stay of execution on Bagbin’s declarations of certain parliamentary seats as vacant, potentially affecting parliamentary representation and political dynamics.
Thaddeus Sory emphasized Justice Gaewu’s political past, stating, “He was known to be associated with New Patriotic Party (NPP) and in fact he was a parliamentary candidate in one of their constituencies in the Volta Region.” Despite these objections, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of maintaining Justice Gaewu on the bench.
