Prima facie, sub judice and the hangman’s noose

Prima facie, pronounced “pree∙muh fay∙she” has for the better part of the year 2025, since petitions against the Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, given Ghanaians a collective headache, particularly with its pronunciation.

First, prima facie, is a Latin term. It means, “at first sight” or “on the face of it”. Legally, the term simply means clear evidence brought by a party in a case that proves his or her matter….

Of all the various mispronunciations, the most hilarious have been that of political officials, with one pronouncing it thus, pree∙muh∙fa∙ci∙ca∙ce!

But the term, apart from the hilarity it has generated so far by all the mispronunciations, is a concerning issue for the suspended Chief Justice, as she continues to point out that the clear reason that kick-started the processes she is going through is still lost on her.

According to her, “In my case, nothing in the petitions I had received reflected weighty issues of sensitivity or national interest.”

“Pree∙muh fay∙she”, that mighty term, has divided Ghanaians, both by its workings and pronunciation; at the heart of all the divisiveness from the pronunciation of the word, and its workings, is there a clear case of “stated misbehaviour or incompetence”, or “an inability to perform the functions of his/her office arising from infirmity of body or mind”?

All we hear is a lot of legal language and technicalities.

Sub judice

Now, last week, as Chief Justice Torkornoo faced Ghanaians to update on some lapses she was encountering in her removal saga, a new word was being bandied about on social media, and on the lips of all who emotionally, strongly, feel she must be sacked.

The word is sub judice literally meaning, “under a judge” or under judicial consideration, thus, prohibited from public discussions.

It is pronounced, “sub∙joo∙di∙see”.

Fortunately, because her statements to the press on Thursday, July 26, 2025, are early yet, we have not had the trauma of the mispronunciation of this word.

Die-hard supporters of the ruling government started using the word among chat groups and themselves, even before she finished her statements that day.

For them, she had to be outrightly dismissed, because the matters she was talking about at the press briefing were already before a judicial body.

On the face of the press conference, as a whole, did she go into any detail about the processes ongoing?

Did she speak for instance about the issues or questions asked her?

She spoke about searches on her person, the prevention of her husband from the hearing, her confusion in what she was particularly supposed to be responding to before the Committee, as she had not been given the “pree∙muh fay∙she”, facts; the clear and whittled down facts, removal processes, and how she felt she was not being treated fairly.

Noose

The hangman’s noose will eventually tighten around the neck of someone. But as we all attend, we pick lessons.

Best of all, we get to hear all the legalese heard only in courtrooms.

Perhaps, from “pree∙muh fay∙she” we must learn clarity, evidence-based engagements.

With “sub∙joo∙di∙see”, we learn to be patient and await the outcome of this matter.

However, just wondering, would it be too much for those who wield power now to be magnanimous and exert themselves to afford courtesies to their supposed ‘enemies’?

Would that detract or in any way affect the power they wield?