Retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice William Atuguba, has rubbished suggestions that the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo was politically engineered, describing such claims are “nonsense.”
In an interview on JoyNews‘ The Pulse on Tuesday, September 9, Justice Atuguba said reducing every state action to partisan politics undermines national progress and weakens public institutions.
“That is why I say it is the politics that has harmed this country very gravely. Why should somebody have that mindset? Somebody has been removed; therefore, when we come, we must remove irrespective of merit. Let us be a bit serious here.”
His comment comes after some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) suggested that the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was influenced more by politics than by law.
Justice Atuguba emphasised that implementing manifesto promises, including reforms in the judiciary, should not automatically be branded as partisan interference.
“When parties contest elections, don’t they have their manifestos on what they intend to do? So when they are elected and begin implementing them, what is wrong with that? That programme has already been endorsed by the voters,” he stressed.
He recalled that even before the 2024 elections, he had consistently highlighted the need for reforms within the judiciary, noting that public trust in the institution had eroded. According to him, any government that comes to power has a responsibility to restore credibility to the system.
“I used to say before the elections that the judiciary needed restructuring, and I repeated it afterwards. If the public has lost interest in the judiciary, it must be rectified. But when you say it and later pursue it in office, people claim it is politically motivated? It is nonsense. It is absolute nonsense,” he insisted.
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