Ghana’s Chief Justice, Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, is once again at the center of a legal and political storm as President John Mahama begins consultations on three fresh petitions seeking her removal from office. This move, in line with Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, marks the beginning of a potentially consequential process for the judiciary.
According to Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the petitions have been officially submitted to the Council of State, which will advise the President on the next steps. While the details of the complaints remain undisclosed, the development suggests renewed scrutiny of the Chief Justice’s conduct and performance.
This is not the first time calls for Justice Torkornoo’s removal have surfaced. Earlier this year, former President Nana Akufo-Addo dismissed a similar petition filed by legal scholar Prof. Stephen Kwaku Asare. That petition accused the Chief Justice of misconduct, citing issues such as panel reconstitution and constitutional breaches. However, after consulting the Council of State, Akufo-Addo ruled that the petition lacked merit and did not establish a prima facie case for removal.
Under Ghana’s constitutional framework, the removal of a Chief Justice is a rigorous process. Article 146 outlines that once a petition is received, the President must consult the Council of State and, if necessary, establish a committee to investigate the claims. This committee, which includes two Supreme Court Justices and three independent members, conducts its inquiries in private before making recommendations to the President. If the committee finds grounds for removal, the President is constitutionally bound to act accordingly.
With Mahama now at the helm, the fate of the Chief Justice hangs in the balance. Whether these new petitions will be dismissed like the previous one or trigger a deeper investigation remains to be seen. However, the renewed push to remove the head of the judiciary signals growing tensions within Ghana’s legal and political landscape.
