The Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, is scheduled to rule on October 12, 2023, on a preliminary submission regarding a motion for the presiding judge’s recusal from the case involving Dr. Ato Forson and two others. Dr. Forson’s lawyer, Dr. Abdul Aziz Bamba, filed the application on June 29, 2023, requesting the trial judge to recuse herself due to perceived bias against the accused.
Dr. Bamba argued that certain pre-judicial comments and utterances made by the judge during the trial raised serious concerns about the applicant’s right to a fair trial. The application was brought before the Court under the inherent jurisdiction, questioning the competence of the trial judge to continue hearing the matter.
In response, the Attorney-General, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, opposed the submission, deeming it unmeritorious. Meanwhile, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo declined a separate request for the removal of the trial judge made by businessman and accused, Mr. Richard Dzakpa, who alleged bias based on an incident during a court sitting on June 20, 2023.
The trial also featured the prosecution’s cross-examination of Alex Mould, an expert witness for Dr. Forson, which has now come to an end.
