Ghana’s Attorney General has dismissed calls from international legal bodies for the reinstatement of Chief Justice Gertrude A.E.S. Torkornoo, insisting that her suspension is in full compliance with both the constitution and global democratic standards.
The rebuttal follows a joint statement by the Bar Council of England and Wales (BCEW) and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) on August 14, 2025, which urged the government to lift the suspension, describing it as a threat to judicial independence.
But in a strongly worded response, the Attorney General argued that Ghana’s legal framework is clear: once a prima facie case of misconduct is established, suspension is a constitutional requirement to safeguard the integrity of the inquiry process.
“Neither the Latimer House Principles nor the Constitution prohibits the suspension of a Chief Justice once prima facie evidence of misconduct has been determined. To do otherwise would be a breach of the very constitutional safeguards these institutions uphold,” the statement read.
The Attorney General emphasized that the suspension is temporary and will remain in place only until the inquiry committee completes its work and presents its findings to the President.
This clash between Ghana’s interpretation of its constitutional mandate and the concerns raised by respected international legal associations underscores the tension between domestic sovereignty and global scrutiny of judicial independence.
For now, the Chief Justice’s suspension continues to draw both domestic debate and international attention, with many awaiting the outcome of the inquiry to determine whether Ghana’s judiciary emerges stronger or more divided.
