Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has defended his criticism of a Circuit Court judge handling a politically sensitive case involving New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bono Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, saying he was exercising his constitutional right to challenge what he described as a troubling pattern in the judge’s conduct.

In a social media post on Tuesday (19 May), Afenyo-Markin said it was “both ethical and within my constitutional rights” to question a judge whom he accused of showing “no respect for the law and the rights of citizens.”

“There is a pattern in the conduct of the Circuit Court 9 Judge in political cases that go before him,” he said, adding that the Minority Caucus in Parliament would pursue “a series of action” and take “appropriate constitutional steps” in response.

The remarks appeared to be a response to criticism from the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), which had earlier condemned the lawmaker’s previous comments about the judge as unethical and unprofessional.

Afenyo-Markin argued that questioning what he called judicial excesses should not be interpreted as a personal attack.

“Questioning the excesses of a Judge’s pattern of conduct does not amount to an attack on his person,” he wrote, while urging the Chief Justice to “keep an eye” on the Circuit Court 9 judge and ensure he upheld “the ethos of his judicial robe and wig.”

The dispute stems from the continued detention and legal proceedings involving Abronye DC, which have triggered political debate and criticism from some members of the opposition NPP.

The GBA, through its spokesperson Saviour Kudze, had said Afenyo-Markin’s earlier public criticism of the judge fell below the standards expected of a senior lawyer and political leader.

Kudze said legal mechanisms existed to challenge judicial decisions if a party believed a judge had acted improperly.

“The appellate system is not there for fun,” Kudze told Citi FM, adding that judges’ competence and qualifications should not be publicly attacked.