Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has said that the removal of Chief Justice Madam Gertrude presenting by President John Dramani Mahama will definitely have a ripple effect.
She said, unless the constitution is revised to resolve the mode by which a Chief Justice is appointed or removed, this decision will definitely have an effect going forward.
Asked whether the removal of Gertrude Torkornoo will have a ripple effect during an interview with TV3’s Joseph Ackah-Blay on Tuesday, September 2, she said, ” I foresee, not tomorrow, maybe not next year or five years time, but along the line, yes. Unless those provisions are dealt with and dealt with effectively in a revised constitution.”
She further stated that the removal of the Chief Justice was an unnecessary situation that the entire country has been put through.
In the view of Madam Sophia Akuffo, the allegations against Madam Torkornoo were not strong enough to warrant her removal from office.
She said, “I feel very sad and distressed about it. My sadness is about the whole process; my sadness is because, as far as I am concerned, it was a very unnecessary situation.
“We have been taken through an unnecessary situation. In my honest view, this has so weakened the institution of the judiciary, it is not so much the individual who occupies the position, it is the institution that is what I am concerned about.
“There has always been something wrong with Article 146 and particularly the procedure that it sets out, and especially as it regards the position of the Chief Justice. In the Agyei-Twum case, I took the opportunity to reflect on that weakness that I noticed. To me, they lack the gravity that would lead to a grave outcome such as the removal of the head of an institution of justice.”
Madam Sophia Akuffo also said that she is not ashamed of testifying in favour of Gertrude Torkornoo during the committee sitting on the petition for her removal.
Madam Sophia Akuffo says she will do it again on any day, any time, anywhere.
Sophia Akuffo’s name emerged on social media as one of the people who testified in favour of Madam Torkorono.
She said, “You can imagine the outrage that I felt when something on social media that somebody had sent to me, where the facts, of which I am not in the least bit ashamed, and if I had to do that thing again, I will, the fact that I had gone to give evidence before the committee was on social media. How did that get there? And it was not only me, I am not going to repeat that unbecoming by mentioning the names that were mentioned.
“Is somebody entitled to have witnesses on their behalf? To come to think of it, we don’t even know who gave evidence on behalf of the petitioners, so why is it that those who gave evidence on behalf of the respondents will be thrown to the rabid dogs?”
Sophia Akuffo further said that the removal of Madam Gertrude Torkornoo as Chief Justice has weakened the judiciary.
Madam Sophia Akuffo raised concerns about the way and manner the issues were handled.
In her view, the hearing was handled as a treason trial.
“My honest and candid view is that this has so weakened the institution of the Judiciary,” she told TV3’s Joseph Ackah-Blay in an interview on Tuesday, September 2.
She added “She did not get a fair trial. Even though it is not a trial strictly speaking, it was handled as though it were a treason trial.”
The Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was removed from office by President John Dramani Mahama on Monday, September 1.
“President John Dramani Mahama has, in accordance with Article 146(9) of the 1992 Constitution, removed the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkonoo, from office with immediate effect. This follows receipt of the report of the Committee constituted under Article 146(6) to inquire into a petition submitted by a Ghanaian citizen, Mr Daniel Ofori. After considering the petition and the evidence, the Committee found that the grounds of stated misbehaviour under Article 146(1) had been established and recommended her removal from office. Under Article 146(9), the President is required to act in accordance with the committee’s recommendation,” the statement said.
This comes after President John Dramani Mahama received the report of the Article 146 Committee of Inquiry set up to investigate petitions calling for the removal of Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo.
This followed the determination of a prima facie case in three separate petitions that sought the removal of the Chief Justice from office. In line with constitutional requirements, President Mahama constituted a five-member committee to conduct the inquiry.
The committee was chaired by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang of the Supreme Court. Other members included Mr. Daniel Yaw Domelevo, former Auditor-General; Major Flora Bazaanura Dalugo of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF); and Professor James Sefah Dzisah, Associate Professor at the University of Ghana.
Justice Torkornoo was suspended on April 22, 2025, following the establishment of a prima facie case against her after the receipt of three separate petitions.
Her suspension, carried out in line with Article 146(6) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, was done in consultation with the Council of State.
Subsequently, a five-member committee chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang was appointed by the President to investigate the allegations.
Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, said after presenting the report to the president that “To the committee, our mandate and remit as set out under Article 146 Clauses (7) and (8) of the Constitution is clear and it is to inquire into the petitions in camera, hear the person against whom the petitions have been brought in her defence by herself or by a lawyer or other expert of her choice and then to make a recommendation to the President.”
