Ghana’s President John Mahama has taken the rare step of suspending the country’s Supreme Court chief justice, Gertrude Torkornoo. This unprecedented move marks a significant moment in Ghana’s legal history.
Three petitions have been submitted against Torkornoo, though their contents remain undisclosed. An investigation is now underway. Chief justices in Ghana typically have job security, only being removed for serious reasons like incompetence or misconduct.
The former attorney general, Godfred Yeboah Dame, criticized the suspension, calling it a serious threat to the independence of the judiciary. He described it as the biggest attack on the judicial system in Ghana’s history.
Torkornoo, who became the third female chief justice of Ghana after her nomination by former President Nana Akufo-Addo in 2023, is responsible for overseeing the justice system in the country. Earlier this year, she faced a request for removal, which was dismissed by Akufo-Addo due to flaws in the petition.
Initially, Torkornoo was not given copies of the petitions against her, which some lawyers argued violated her right to a fair hearing. However, she later received the documents and can now respond to the allegations both privately and in writing.
A five-member committee will review her responses before deciding whether to proceed with her removal. This situation has raised concerns about judicial independence in Ghana, highlighting the delicate balance of power within the government.