OSP’s request to remove Justice Twum from Cecilia Dapaah’s case shot down by Chief Justice
OSP’s request to remove Justice Twum from Cecilia Dapaah’s case shot down by Chief Justice
Ghana’s Chief Justice (CJ), Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, has vetoed a request from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to remove Justice Edward Twum from the embattled former minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah’s, case.
The OSP had filed a petition arguing that Justice Twum had shown bias against the OSP and wanted him removed from all cases involving Madam Dapaah. However, the Chief Justice dismissed the petition.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the OSP disclosed that “By a letter dated 25 October 2023, the Judicial Secretary informed the Special Prosecutor that the Chief Justice is unable to accede to the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) request for his lordship Justice Edward Twum to be recused and removed from all cases involving the OSP pending before him.”
The request by the OSP was grounded on the belief that Justice Edward Twum appears to be highly prejudiced against the OSP and the person of the Special Prosecutor.
The Court presided over by Justice Twum on Thursday, October 12, was forced to adjourn the sitting to a later date until a time when the Chief Justice responded to the request for him to be removed from the case.
The court also could not hear the case where the former sanitation minister is charged with refusing to declare her assets.
This was because of the failure of the lawyers of the Office of the Special Prosecutor to make themselves available in court due to the petition to have the Judge removed from all of their cases.
