Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has provided an explanation for the denial of popular Ghanaian YouTuber, Ama Governor, in her call to the Bar.
Ama Governor was denied a call to the bar, despite completing the Ghana School of Law and passing her interview .
The Ghanaian YouTuber, whose real name is Elorm Ababio, was not called to the Bar in November 2022.
Subsequently, it came to light that the General Legal Council had decided to withhold Ama Governor’s call to the Bar until a committee could thoroughly assess her suitability for admission as a qualified barrister. The committee was specifically appointed to determine whether she met the necessary requirements and demonstrated the qualifications essential for becoming a legal practitioner. As a result, her call to the Bar was temporarily suspended pending the committee’s evaluation.
The General Legal Council through its secretary informed Ama Governor about a concerned citizen’s petition to the council alleging that she lacks good character befitting someone who aspires to be a lawyer.
The anonymous concerned citizen raised an issue with one of the YouTube content of Ama Governor and described it as a “conduct unbecoming of an application to be called to the Bar”. This has sparked an unending controversy on social media.
According to reports, the General Legal Council has constituted a three-member committee to investigate the complaint, and the outcome will determine the fate of the popular YouTuber.
However, Ama Governor missed the call to the Ghana Bar again in May 2023 as the Ghana Legal Council in a Mini Call called new lawyers to the Ghana Bar after her initial denial.
During a programme held yesterday, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornor addressed the issues surrounding Ama Governor’s call to the Bar. In her remarks, she expressed surprise at the apparent lack of understanding among some people regarding the position taken by the Ghana Legal Council in this matter.
She said “when somebody has behaved in a certain way we say and we say we cannot call the person to the Bar, I was surprised at the furriery that rose up concerning the call to the bar of certain people, like seriously?
“This is proper conduct for the legal sector. That’s interesting. Anyway, so for you to come into our space and to come into the space of the legal sector, your conduct cannot be obscene and offensive and you expect that you’ll be admitted. It doesn’t work like that.
Your comments on social media, your ex parte communications for Judges is extremely critical,” she emphasized in the video below which is going viral.