The Office of the President has received two additional petitions calling for the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, further escalating an already tense judicial controversy.
These new petitions, whose authors remain anonymous, bring the total number of removal requests against the Chief Justice to five. The first three petitions were submitted by different individuals on February 14 and March 17, 2025.
While the specifics of all five petitions are confidential under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, sources familiar with the situation indicate that the petitions allege misconduct and abuse of power.
This development follows the formal suspension of Chief Justice Torkornoo on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, by President John Dramani Mahama, after a committee found a prima facie case in relation to the initial three petitions.
The President’s decision, made in consultation with the Council of State and in accordance with Article 146(6) of the Constitution, has sparked a nationwide debate over judicial independence and the potential politicization of constitutional processes.
As required by law, Chief Justice Torkornoo was served with the original petitions and given a 10-day period to respond. She submitted her response on April 7, after which it was determined that the allegations warranted a full investigation.
With her suspension now in effect, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, the most senior member of the Supreme Court, has been appointed to temporarily serve as Chief Justice, as outlined in Article 144(6).
The public response to the suspension and the mounting petitions has been swift and divided. Critics, including opposition lawmakers and legal experts, have accused the government of pursuing a political agenda aimed at reshaping the judiciary for partisan gain. On the other hand, supporters argue that the constitutional process is being correctly followed and must be allowed to unfold without interference.
Former NPP parliamentary candidate Akosua Manu has cautioned that the suspension of Chief Justice Torkornoo could signal the onset of what she described as a “judicial capture.” Meanwhile, legal experts such as Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh from the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) have called for greater transparency in the process.
Prof. Prempeh has urged that the grounds for and outcomes of the removal proceedings be made public in order to maintain public trust in the judiciary.
Currently, the Chief Justice remains suspended while a five-member investigative committee is set to be formed to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter.
Both Ghana’s legal and political communities, along with the broader public, are now closely watching the next phase of this unprecedented process, which has the potential to significantly impact the country’s judicial landscape.
