John Peter Amewu, the Member of Parliament-elect for the Hohoe Constituency can now be sworn-in as a lawmaker after being cleared by the Supreme Court.
The Apex court on Tuesday, January 5 quashed an earlier ruling by the Ho High Court which barred Amewu from partaking in the swearing-in of MP’s on January 6.
It was a unanimous decision by the five judges who held that Amewu could be sworn-in while the NDC challenges the substantial case of whether he was duly elected.
This portal brings you brief information about the five judges who sat on the case
Justice Clemence Honyenuga
In the context of this case, Justice Honyenua is the most popular among the panel due to an application by Tsatsu Tsika, the lawyer of the SALL communities to have him recuse himself.
Tsatsu Tsikata had suspected possible bias on the part of the judge and motioned for him to be removed but that was rejected.
It was not the first time Justice Honyenuga was caught in some controversy. He was once captured on tape endorsing Nana Akufo-Addo in his capacity as a chief.
This ruffled feathers in the NDC who called for him to be punished but he was rather nominated for the Supreme Court post and was subsequently approved by Parliament after undergoing vetting in May 2020.
Justice Gertrude Tokornoo
Justice Gertrude Tokornoo was the only female judge on the panel. She is alleged to have diffused the bias claims by Tsatsu Tsikata by asking him that since she has been eating at his house, should she also recuse herself since she has a relationship with him.
Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was nominated by President Akufo-Addo for the position in November 2019 and after being vetted on December 10 was sworn-in in December 2019.
She is also an author.
Justice Samuel Marful-Sau
Justice Samuel Marful-Sau is a former Court of Appeal judge who was nominated alongside three others by President Akufo-Addo in 2018.
His nomination came with some controversy as some people alleged that he was being rewarded for his alleged role in the removal of former EC chair Charlotte Osei.
The government rejected such claims and he was unanimously approved by Parliament.
Justice Amadu Tanko
Justice Amadu Tanko is arguably the most well-known of all the five judges as he spent a chunk of his lawyer days in the football industry.
His Lordship, Amadu Tanko got appointed to the High Court in 2008 and was promoted to the Court of Appeal after four years.
Amadu Tanko is the first Muslim to serve on the Supreme Court and was sworn-in on May 22, 2020.
Justice Yaw Apau
Justice Yaw Apau has been on the Supreme Court since 2015 when he was nominated by President John Mahama and subsequently approved by the Parliament of Ghana.
His appointment was welcomed with some controversy as critics alleged that he was being rewarded for doing the president’s bidding at the judgement debt commission.
He, however, denied those claims during his vetting in Parliament. He was an Appeal’s Court judge before becoming a Supreme Court justice.
