Lawyer Seeks Transparency: RTI Request Filed Over Petition to Remove Justice Kulendi
A Ghanaian lawyer, Jonathan Owusu Asare, has formally invoked the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) to request confirmation from the Office of the President on whether a petition has been filed seeking the removal of Supreme Court Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi. The request, dated October 7, 2025, aims to clarify the Presidency's position following widespread media reports of a purported petition calling for Justice Kulendi's removal.
The petition, reportedly filed by private citizen Daniel Marfo Ofori-Atta on October 2, 2025, accuses Justice Kulendi of misconduct and conflict of interest in the high-profile ambulance procurement case involving Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the current Finance Minister. Ofori-Atta alleges that Justice Kulendi attempted to interfere with the administration of justice, compromising judicial ethics and eroding public confidence in the judiciary.
Asare seeks specific information from the Presidency, including whether a petition has been filed for Justice Kulendi's removal, when the petition was lodged, whether the petition has been forwarded to the Chief Justice for a prima facie determination, and when the petition was forwarded to the Chief Justice, if applicable.
Asare's request is grounded in Article 21(1)(f) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 18(1) of the RTI Act, which guarantee citizens' right to access information. He emphasized that his objective is to promote constitutional transparency, protect judicial independence, and ensure clarity on a matter of significant national importance.
The Office of the President is expected to respond to the request by October 21, 2025, in line with the statutory timelines set out in the RTI Act. Asare has urged the Presidency to expedite the response, given the utmost public interest attached to the matter.
Source - Lead News Online/Eugenia Boakye
