Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has accused Ghana’s judiciary of consistently ruling against the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the past 32 years.
According to Mr. Kwakye Ofosu, the pattern of unfavourable rulings against the NDC dates back to the era of former President Jerry John Rawlings, creating an impression of institutional bias.
Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV, the Abura Asebu Kwamankese MP stated, “The Chief Justice is not at the beck and call of the President. She is the head of an independent institution. However, I have my views, and I don’t think they’ve been fair to the NDC. For 32 years, they have consistently ruled against us.”
Allegations of judicial bias
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu cited key legal decisions, including rulings on the June 4th and 31st December anniversaries, as well as J.H. Mensah’s challenge on ministerial vetting, all of which went against the NDC. He claimed that cases involving the New Patriotic Party (NPP) received faster resolutions, while those filed by NDC members faced delays.
“It was possible for Afenyo-Markin to file a case in court and have it heard within twelve hours. Yet, the minority’s case against the passage of the E-Levy has been pending for three years,” he argued.
He also accused former Attorney General Godfred Dame of selectively replacing judges in cases involving NPP figures, including Kennedy Agyapong, while similar requests by NDC members were denied.
“A judge who held Kennedy Agyapong in contempt was changed because it was said that the contempt was directed at him. Yet, in the Montie Three case, the same judges who were allegedly disrespected were the ones sitting in judgment,” he noted.
Call for fairness
While acknowledging that historical factors may have influenced perceptions of judicial bias, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu emphasized the need for the NDC to demand fairness and institutional balance.
“The inconsistency, the unfairness, the imbalance is manifest. That is a position I hold to this day. We need to insist on fairness and balance. While historical reasons may have created an antipathy towards the NDC, justice should not be dispensed based on political perception,” he added.
