The National Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has descended on the Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs for saying that the promotion of the Dormahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, a High Court judge, could be affected because of his criticism of the Supreme Court on the James Gyakye Quayson case.
Speaking in an interview on Good Morning Ghana, on Thursday, July 6, 2023, Sammy Gyamfi said that the statement made by Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is a threat which is typical of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
He said that the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government operates like a drug cartel which uses fear to push people into submission.
“You have the majority leader coming out with threats that based on what the Dormaahene has said his promotion could suffer. They (the NPP) operate like a typical Mexican Mafia, their modus operandi is intimidation and threats.
"So, a chief who is also a High Court judge knows the law better than you Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, makes an appeal in whom the prosecutorial powers of the state are vested; that in my opinion, I think you should enter nolle prosequi in this matter.
“Then you would come and tell the judge, who is a paramount chief that his that your promotion could suffer. Who born dog? Is he not scared? Who do they think they are?” he asked.
The NDC communicator added that the Dormaahene would be promoted because the NPP would not always be in power to stop his promotion.
“So, if you don’t promote him, you Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu will you be in power forever. They should wait and see… by the grace of God, the Dormaahene would be promoted to the place he deserves in the judiciary. No man born of a woman can stop it.
What Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said?
Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated that Dormaahene Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II could fail to rise to the level of Supreme Court justice citing recent comments on topical legal issues.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu in an interview on Twi-speaking Pure FM in Kumasi (July 3) said he disagreed with the Dormaahene’s call for a discontinuance of the criminal trial of Assin North Member of Parliament-elect, James Gyakye Quayson.
The Dormaahene, currently a High Court judge, called on the government to file a nolle prosequi in the Quayson trial explaining among others that it was time to move on and not appear to disrespect the people of Assin North and Ghana.
He also criticized the Supreme Court decision that ousted Quayson from office as an MP triggering the June 27 by-election which Quayson won.
The Majority Leader cautioned that such critique was unhelpful to the future appointment of the Dormaahene because he will be questioned about it by the Appointments Committee of Parliament during vetting and it could form the basis of his ‘disqualification.’
“Justices swear by the Constitution, so if you say you will act contrary to what the Constitution says, what is the implication? You have sworn to protect the Constitution come what may, and you claim you won’t work with it?
“It is a weighty matter; it is not at all trivial because Nana Dormaahene is not that old and he could at a point qualify to go to the Supreme Court.
“If that happens and you come before the Appointment Committee and you are asked about this comment, it could be the case that because of it you don’t qualify to be a Supreme Court Justice,” he cautioned.
BAI/OGB
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Sammy Gyamfi (left), Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (right)
