GBA criticize MP over 'ignorant' comment
Sosu bemoans political infiltration in GBA leadership
The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has tasked Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu to initiate processes to have judges he says are political removed.
According to GBA, there was no point in the MP keeping evidence on such political judges if he claims he is speaking the truth.
In an interview with Accra–based Atinka FM, Public Relations Officer for the Association, Saviour Kudze entreated the legislator to follow due process to have the judges removed.
“I have read his statement this morning [February 15] that he says he is speaking the truth; if he is speaking the truth, then I believe he has some evidence, is that not it? Then seek the processes for the removal of the judges, you are a lawyer, you are not a farmer or a carpenter somewhere,” online news portal atinkaonline.com quoted Mr. Saviour Kudze as saying.
Background
During the NDC’s ‘Yentua’ demonstration on February 11, Madina MP Francis-Xavier Sosu in a media engagement cautioned judges to steer away from politics.
He warned that judges who engage in politics will be ‘fished out’ when power changes hands.
“If you are a judge, your fidelity is to the Constitution of Ghana and the laws of Ghana. If you allow yourself to be used as a political judge so that you can do the bidding of the ruling government, be warned, be warned because we are watching closely at you and in the event that there’s change of power, every political judge will be fished out, every political judge will be dealt with politically. So please stick with the law and let us do our politics,” Sosu told the media.
However, the comments did not sit well with GBA who said the MP’s comment were “ignorant and irresponsible.”
“The GBA finds the assertion by Francis-Xavier Sosu very unprofessional, unfortunate, irresponsible and distasteful and same smacks of deep-seated ignorance, as the tenure of judges per the Constitution, 1992, and other relevant laws is never in any way whatsoever tied to the tenure of the political regime under which judges are appointed,” part of the GBA statement read.
In a response to the statement by GBA, Sosu criticized the group over their silence on matters that affect the legal profession.
He mentioned that he was unperturbed by the concerns raised by GBA, adding that “no amount of twists and turns will extricate judicial officers and judges who would allow themselves to become agents of political partisan agenda.”
Sosu maintained that he stands by his statement, “any day, anytime."
View his Timepath below:
Madina MP, Francis-Xavier Sosu