I don’t know who facilitated my nomination – Supreme Court nominee Amoako Asante

Supreme Court nominee Justice Edward Amoako Asante has firmly denied any claims that his appointment may have been influenced by a key individual, stating that he is unaware of anyone who may have played a role in his nomination. During a hearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, the judge emphasized that his selection adhered to the constitutional process and was solely based on his qualifications and extensive experience.

As a former Court of Appeal judge with over two decades of judicial experience and at the age of 35, Amoako Asante meets the constitutional qualifications for the Supreme Court.

When questioned about his willingness to recuse himself from a case involving a person significant to his nomination if it created a conflict of interest perception, Amoako Asante affirmed that he has no knowledge of any individual who may have influenced his appointment. He stressed that the President, guided by consultations with the Judicial Council and the Council of State, recognized his qualifications, leading to his nomination.

On the topic of judicial recusal, Amoako Asante explained that a judge must recuse themselves from a case if their personal knowledge of an involved individual raises genuine concerns about bias or impairs their impartiality. He noted that while a judge with detailed knowledge of someone in a case might feel compelled to recuse, not every such situation would necessitate recusal.

The judge acknowledged that there are instances where judges hear matters indirectly linked to individuals they know, and such occurrences should not automatically disqualify them from performing their duties impartially.