Dr. Arthur Kennedy, a prominent member of Ghana’s ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has voiced concerns about the impartiality of the nation’s Supreme Court, suggesting their recent rulings reflect a political rather than judicial agenda.
According to Ghana Web on Sunday, October 20, 2024, Speaking on the October 19, 2024, edition of Joynewsfile, Kennedy highlighted specific cases that have raised eyebrows regarding the Court’s priorities.
“On too many occasions, like the Domelevo case, the LGBT case, and in this current case, our Supreme Court appears now to be doing more politics than law,” he stated.
He emphasized that globally, the judiciary is not always influenced by political contexts, urging the Ghanaian Supreme Court to remain vigilant against political entanglements.
Kennedy noted the lengthy delays in cases like that of former Auditor General Daniel Domelevo and the expedited handling of the LGBT legislation as indicative of a troubling trend.
“It is strange, for example, that Domelevo’s case took as long as it did,” he remarked, questioning the rapid pace at which recent decisions have been made.
“When these things keep happening again and again, there is the perception that our judiciary is biased and too political,” he warned.
His comments followed a significant ruling by a five-member panel of the Supreme Court, which granted a stay of execution against the Speaker of Parliament’s declaration of four seats as vacant.
This ruling was issued just a day after the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, declared the seats vacant based on constitutional provisions.
Kennedy cautioned that the current trajectory of the judiciary could lead to a dangerous precedent, where future administrations might demand their own judicial and electoral bodies due to mistrust of the existing ones.
“I fear that sooner or later, we are going to get into the realm where every new government will insist on having its own Supreme Court and its own Electoral Commission,” he stated
He called for a thorough evaluation of the judicial framework in Ghana, revealing that unchecked political involvement poses a significant risk to the country’s political stability.
“This judiciary, and particularly this Supreme Court, is too eager to stick its nose in political affairs,” he added.