Twum-Barimah defends suspension process as constitutional and fair

Constitutional procedures were followed, says NACOC official

The Deputy Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Alexander Twum-Barimah, has rejected claims by suspended former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo that her removal process was unfair, stating that all constitutional requirements were properly observed.

Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, Twum-Barimah explained that the Constitution mandates that a Chief Justice facing petitions must be served with documents and given opportunity to respond. He confirmed this procedure was followed in Torkornoo's case, with her receiving approximately 10 days to review and respond to the petitions.

Torkornoo's concerns have centred on the timing of document service rather than denial of a hearing, Twum-Barimah noted. He stressed that her response was already in the public domain before formal submission to the President, demonstrating transparency in the process.

Twum-Barimah dismissed allegations of bias against committee members as baseless, stating that credible evidence must support such claims. He also characterised security checks during proceedings as standard practice, not evidence of unfair treatment.

The ECOWAS Court of Justice recently dismissed an application filed by Torkornoo challenging her suspension, further validating the process's legitimacy according to officials.