Lawyer Martin Kpebu, has called for an end to the long-standing practice of holding in-camera hearings in petitions seeking the removal of a sitting Chief Justice.

According to him, such proceedings are no longer suitable in the current democratic dispensation where transparency and accountability are paramount.

Speaking in an interview on TV3 on June 26, 2025, Kpebu argued that the secrecy surrounding such hearings undermines public confidence in the justice system and shields judicial officers from scrutiny.

“The in-camera hearing is not good for our democracy at all. We have grown. When this practice was introduced some 33 years ago, the system was different. But now, we’ve evolved and become more refined as a people. We are demanding greater accountability,” 3news.com quoted him to have said.

Kpebu noted that in today’s Ghana, the judiciary is no longer seen as untouchable and immune from criticism.

He believes that judicial accountability should be visible to the public, especially when a matter concerns the conduct of the country’s highest judicial officer.

“If a Chief Justice is being held accountable, the public deserves to see and hear the proceedings. This ensures that judges know from day one that if they engage in wrongdoing, the public will witness how justice is served,” he said.

Citing the United States as an example, Kpebu observed that judicial misconduct cases there are often handled openly, especially when they involve high-ranking judges.

“In the US, proceedings involving judges are dealt with in Congress and are open to the public. We must learn from that,” he added.

“I am also a lawyer so why is that if my classmate who is a Judge suddenly does something wrong, we should not see how it is dealt with, no. let’s all see how it is being dealt with in court.

“When it is guaranteed to be a secretive hearing, it is not conducive for accountability”.

His remarks come amid increasing public debate over the handling of a petition seeking the removal of Ghana’s Chief Justice, Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo.

Article 146(8) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution currently requires that such petitions be heard in-camera.

The calls for greater transparency follow recent legal developments involving Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.

After a petition was filed for her removal, President John Dramani Mahama constituted a committee to investigate the matter, leading to her suspension.

AM/KA

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