Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has expressed deep concern over the dismissal of Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, warning that the process has undermined the independence of the judiciary.
Speaking in an interview with Accra-based TV3, the Council of State member argued that the proceedings were handled unfairly.
“My honest and candid view is that this has so weakened the institution of the judiciary,” she said. “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.”
Justice Torkornoo’s removal was announced on Monday, September 1, in a statement issued by the Minister of Government Communications.
According to the statement, President John Dramani Mahama, acting under Article 146(9) of the 1992 Constitution, dismissed the Chief Justice after reviewing the findings of a committee set up to investigate petitions for her removal.
The committee found grounds of “stated misbehaviour” under Article 146(1) and recommended her removal—a recommendation the President was constitutionally obliged to follow.
Her dismissal follows months of proceedings triggered by three separate petitions. A prima facie case was established in April, leading to her suspension in consultation with the Council of State.
The five-member inquiry committee was chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, with members including former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo, Major Flora Bazaanura Dalugo of the Ghana Armed Forces, and Professor James Sefah Dzisah of the University of Ghana.
Presenting the report to the President, Justice Pwamang explained that the panel’s mandate under Article 146(7) and (8) was to investigate the petitions in-camera, give the respondent an opportunity to defend herself, and make recommendations to the President.
Justice Torkornoo’s removal has since sparked debate within the legal fraternity, with some describing it as a test of Ghana’s democratic and judicial resilience.
Source: AdomOnline
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