Suspended Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo has said the processes initiated so far to remove her from office constitutes a breach of the rules of justice.
Addressing Ghanaians for the first time since her suspension, Gertrude Torkornoo averred that these violations of the constitution poses danger to the country’s democracy.
“Unfortunately, every step of the removal process being undertaken against me is being done in a manner that breaks every rule on how justice is being delivered in Ghana.
“And this is why I find the need to draw the nation’s attention to the serious violations of the constitutions and law in the process and the danger it holds for the development of the nations’ democracy,” she noted.
Justice Torkornoo argued that these processes will affect how Superior Court Justices and future Chief Justices may be removed from office.
The suspended Chief Justice added that “I’m making this statement because it feels like I’m alone in this.”
Following her suspension and the constitution of a committee to investigate the petition against her removal, Old Tafo MP Vincent Assafuah filed an injunction application against the petition to remove Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo.
But the Supreme Court struck out the application.
Prior to the dismissal, the Supreme Court had by a unanimous decision, dismissed the objection raised by Godfred Dame against Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie in the case against a petition to remove the Chief Justice Getrturde Torkornoo.
According to the apex court, the issue raised by Dame did not disqualify Justice Baffoe-Bonnie from presiding over the proceedings, and that due judicial process would be upheld throughout the case.
Godfred Dame had raised an objection against the Acting Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie, in the case against the petition seeking to remove the Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
Gertrude Torkornoo also filed a suit at the Supreme Court to oppose attempts to remove her from office.
Justice Gertrude Torkornoo through her lawyer, Godfred Dame filed the suit on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 praying the Apex Court to grant her 16 reliefs which she is seeking.
Among the reliefs, Justice Torkonoo wants the court to declare the prima facie case established against her as “arbitrary, capricious, unconstitutional, void and of no effect.”
She is also seeking a declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of articles 17(1) and (2), 19(13) and (14), 146(7) and (8), 281(1) and 295(1) of the Constitution, a Chief Justice has the right to a public hearing in proceedings before a committee appointed by the President to inquire into a petition presented for the removal of the Chief Justice.
Gertrude Torkornoo wants the Supreme Court to declare that her suspension together with the prima facie cast established against her “constitute an unjustified attempt to remove the Plaintiff as Head of Ghana’s Judiciary and thus, an undue infringement on the independence of the Judiciary.”
But the Apex Court has dismissed her injunction application.
