Former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has raised concerns over the possibility of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo resigning amid an ongoing impeachment process, cautioning against a repeat of a similar situation that occurred in 1998.
Drawing from his experience as Deputy Attorney-General at the time, Amidu recalled how the late Supreme Court Justice Kweku Etrew Amua-Sekyi resigned while facing allegations of serious misconduct, effectively sidestepping a disciplinary process.
Lessons from the Past
Amidu noted that Amua-Sekyi’s resignation, which was accepted by then-President Jerry John Rawlings, abruptly ended the inquiry, allowing him to avoid potential consequences.
“The resignation of Kweku Amua-Sekyi was accepted by President Rawlings, and he exited without accounting for his grave misbehaviour,” Amidu wrote in a recent opinion piece. “As a result, the committee tasked with investigating him became defunct.”
Amidu, who was directly involved in the matter, argued that the committee should have retained control over the process, regardless of the resignation, to ensure proper accountability.
Political Fallout
Reflecting on the long-term impact, Amidu suggested that allowing Amua-Sekyi to resign without facing the inquiry allowed him to later assume a powerful public position under President John Agyekum Kufuor, who appointed him Chairman of the National Reconciliation Commission.
“I suspected that his swift resignation became a qualification for the appointment,” Amidu said, adding that Amua-Sekyi later used his position to settle political scores against those who had supported the charges against him, including Amidu himself and the NDC.
Amidu described the situation as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the lasting repercussions of allowing key figures to escape scrutiny through resignation.
A Call for Consistency
In his piece, Amidu urged current leaders to learn from this episode, warning against a repeat that could undermine the integrity of the ongoing inquiry into Chief Justice Torkornoo.
“The President should not let history rhyme again,” he said, stressing the importance of holding powerful figures accountable, regardless of political convenience.
