CJ’s vacation warrants not limited to politically sensitive cases – Victoria Bright

International corporate lawyer Victoria Bright has addressed allegations that Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo's warrants for judges to sit during the legal vacation were specifically issued to facilitate high-profile or politically sensitive cases. In an interview on JoyNews' Newsfile, Bright stated that public perception had led people to believe that only a few politically sensitive cases were chosen for hearing during the vacation.

However, she clarified that 26 vacation judges had been appointed nationwide, covering courts in various regions, and the warrants were not restricted to certain cases. Bright emphasized that the legal vacation does not mean courts come to a halt. She explained that while the general rule is vacation, it is not an absolute shutdown, as activities can continue during this period.

Bright referred to Order 79, Rule 1.1 of C.I. 47, which permits the Chief Justice to appoint any day, including during vacation, for case hearings as circumstances demand. She also highlighted that Rule 4 of the same order reinforces that the vacation does not strip the courts of their jurisdiction to hear cases.