On Wednesday, 30 October 2024, counsel for Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, Thaddeus Sory, formally requested that Supreme Court Justice Yao Gaewu recuse himself from the contentious case concerning the Speaker’s ruling to vacate four parliamentary seats.

Mr. Sory raised concerns about Justice Gaewu’s alleged prior association with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), questioning the potential for bias in the proceedings.

The request for recusal emerged amid heated discussions in court, following a challenge from Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame. Dame targeted specific sections of the Speaker’s affidavit, describing paragraphs 21 and 49 as “scandalous” and asserting that they addressed the political implications of the Speaker’s decision, which could compromise the case’s legal integrity.

In a related development, Joe Ghartey, representing NPP Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, attempted to deliver a preliminary comment. However, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo reprimanded Ghartey for allowing a junior lawyer to open the remarks, emphasising the importance of courtroom decorum.

The Chief Justice expressed her disapproval of what was perceived as a breach of respect for the judicial process, ultimately disregarding Mr. Ghartey’s statement.