Prof. Ernest Yorke, the President of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), has told the Akosa Committee investigating the death of Charles Amissah that they cannot declare health workers guilty.
According to the GMA president, the investigative committees are not judicial or quasi-judicial bodies and therefore do not have the mandate to pronounce individuals guilty.
Prof. Ernest Yorke also highlighted that the manner in which the Akosa Committee’s findings were presented has contributed to public reaction and debate around the case.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Monday, May 11, Prof. Yorke argued, “For me, I probably wouldn’t have used that word, and the thing is, an investigative committee of that nature, it is not a judicial or quasi-judicial committee. So they cannot pronounce on the guilt or otherwise of persons involved.
“At best, they probably will say that there is reasonable belief to say that they committed some wrong, and if they indeed believe so, then the proper thing is what they’ve done to refer them to the appropriate body, which will now go into much more detail,” he said.
He further added, “I have served on the disciplinary committee of the medical and dental council for over 13 years, and they come with their lawyers. It is quasi-judicial, we take evidence, we take witness statements, we cross-examine, and even people appeal the decisions.
“So it is at the stage that when it is concluded finally that somebody can be pronounced as found guilty of a certain charge and therefore deserves the requisite sanctions,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the committee set up to investigate the death of Charles Amissah has sanctioned seven medical staff members over their failure to attend to the late engineer working at Promasidor Ghana Limited.
The medical staff sanctioned include Anne-Marie Kudowor of the Police Hospital, Naomi Eyram Adotevi and Akosua B. Turkson of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, and Ida Druant, Genevieve Adjar, Joy Daisy Nelson, and Salamatu Alhassan Aidoo of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, who are to face disciplinary action for breaching their professional duties in the care of Charles Amissah and for being untruthful to the Committee.
The committee, chaired by Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa, presented its findings on May 6, 2026, detailing that, “Dr Anne-Marie Kudowor failed to exercise ethical and professional judgment prudently by not attending to Charles Amissah, who was in a life-threatening condition at Police Hospital, leading to his death, and was untruthful to the committee.
“Dr Nina Naomi Eyram Adotevi also failed to exercise ethical and professional judgement prudently by not attending to Charles Amissah, who was in a life-threatening condition at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, leading to his death later,” Professor Akosa remarked.
Dr Anne-Marie Kudowor has been recommended for referral to the Police Hospital and the Medical and Dental Council (MDC) for disciplinary action over alleged misconduct.
They also referred Dr Nina Naomi Eyram Adotevi to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital and the MDC for disciplinary action.
Also, Dr Ida Druant and Dr Genevieve Adjar of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital have been recommended for disciplinary action by their institution and the MDC for similar breaches.
Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa’s committee also further recommended sanctions against nursing staff, including Miss Akosua B. Turkson and Joy Daisy Nelson, who are to be referred to their respective institutions and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
The committee, beyond individual accountability, outlined urgent systemic reforms.