Retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has delivered a sharp rebuke to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their recent opposition to the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo. He characterized the party’s protests and calls for her reinstatement as “pure hypocrisy” and highlighted a concerning neglect of public interest within Ghana’s political dialogue.

In an interview with Joy News, Justice Atuguba addressed the NPP’s assertions that President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to suspend the Chief Justice was unconstitutional and jeopardized judicial independence. However, he challenged the party’s moral standing on the matter, asking, “How were they when they were in office? How did they perform? Acting transparently in the interest of the people, did they do that? What!”

“These are the kinds of things I just detest. That is pure hypocrisy. The exclusion of public interest in our political space is very troubling,” he stated.

Justice Atuguba also reflected on the period leading up to the elections when the Supreme Court faced intense public scrutiny, especially on social media, where it was mockingly referred to as “unanimous FC.” He questioned the NPP’s lack of action during their time in power, saying, “Before the elections, it was a common parlance on social media where the Supreme Court was being described as ‘unanimous FC’. Was it President Mahama who was doing that? They were in office; what steps did they take?”

Justice Atuguba’s comments underscore the ongoing tensions in Ghana’s political landscape, as debates over judicial independence and accountability continue to unfold.