Amidu Questions Timing of Sophia Akuffo’s Judicial Reform Proposal

Former Attorney General Martin Amidu has challenged retired Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo’s recent call for constitutional amendments regarding judicial removals, suggesting the intervention is politically motivated.

The critique comes amid ongoing petitions seeking the removal of the current Chief Justice.

Amidu’s analysis, detailed in an open letter, highlights what he calls inconsistencies in Akuffo’s position. He notes that during her tenure as Chief Justice, Akuffo oversaw the removal of Electoral Commission officials without advocating for their appeal rights – despite their equivalent status to Superior Court judges. “Her sudden concern for due process emerges only now,” Amidu stated, referencing Akuffo’s current Council of State membership.

The former Special Prosecutor also recalled that President Akufo-Addo, Akuffo’s cousin, declined to act on a petition for her removal during her term. This historical context, Amidu argues, undermines the credibility of her current reform push at the Institute of Economic Affairs – the same organization where current Electoral Commission Chair Jean Mensa previously worked.

Legal scholars are divided on the matter. Professor Kwame Frimpong of the Ghana Law School notes: “The constitutional removal process has always been contentious, but timing does raise legitimate questions about motive.” The debate occurs as Ghana’s judiciary faces unprecedented public scrutiny over its independence and accountability mechanisms.