Chief Justice Will Not Suffer A Case Of Conflict Of Interest

The Executive Director of the Danquah Institute, Gabby Otchere Darko has dismissed suggestions that the Chief Justice might be compromised in executing her constitutional duties. The Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood is expected to swear in the President-elect, John Mahama on December 7 and equally empanel the Justices for the NPP�s petition challenging the validity of the results of the December elections before the Supreme Court. Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, Mr. Otchere Darko said the two activities are independent of each other and will be exercised with utmost respect to the laws of the country. �The Constitution is clear that the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana is the one who swears a President in. No decision has been taken as to the validity or against the validity of the declared results so Chief Justice will then do her Constitutional duty which is to swear the President-elect in.� He further insisted that the Chief Justice�s role in the court case of the NPP against the EC �is no issue of conflict of interest because they are different roles being performed.� Meanwhile, a member of the Communication Team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Lawyer Kojogah Adawudu opined that the Supreme Court will have to tighten procedures which allow cases to be filed at the court. �The other issue for the Supreme Court to look at is that what will be the parameters for everybody to invoke the jurisdiction for Supreme Court to come to it because we believe that the petition before the petition before the Supreme Court is frivolous.� According to him, the NDC adequately prepared for the elections and therefore the Supreme Court must give parameters �just like in the Parliamentary, when and when you can come to court and on what basis you can come to court.�