Fiifi Boafo has stated that the debate over Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie’s recent comments cannot be separated from some of his earlier public appearances involving people associated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, the former COCOBOD Head of Public Affairs referred to the Chief Justice’s presence at the funeral of the father-in-law of the NDC’s National Communications Officer.
“He wasn’t just present. He was present in a hearty, lovey-dovey relationship with NDC appointees at the funeral,” Boafo said.
He also mentioned the Chief Justice’s presence at the marriage ceremony of a government spokesperson, saying questions had already been raised about his conduct at the earlier funeral.
Boafo then pointed to the Chief Justice’s appearance at the World Cup, where he was part of a contingent that included the Vice President and former NDC National Chairman, among other NDC officials.
“He was part of their contingent to the World Cup,” he said.
Boafo acknowledged that the Chief Justice can have friends across political lines.
“What’s wrong if he has NDC friends? He has NPP friends,” he said.
But he argued that judges are expected to exercise restraint in some areas because of the positions they occupy.
“Judges, they don’t deny themselves of certain rights they have as individuals just because they have accepted to be on the bench,” he said.
For Boafo, the issue is that the funeral, wedding, football appearance and later visits to state institutions have together contributed to questions about the Chief Justice’s neutrality.
