Ghana’s Supreme Court chief justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, has been suspended in a move that marks a first in the country’s history, amid allegations of incompetence and misbehaviour.
In a move that marks a first in the country’s history, Ghanaian President John Mahama has suspended the country’s Supreme Court chief justice, Gertrude Torkornoo. The suspension comes after three undisclosed petitions have been filed against her, calling for her permanent removal from office.
Chief justices in Ghana enjoy security of tenure, meaning they can only be removed from office on a few grounds, including incompetence and misbehaviour. Ms Torkornoo is Ghana’s third female chief justice, nominated in 2023 by former president Nana Akufo-Addo. It is her responsibility to oversee the administration of justice in Ghana.
An investigation has been launched, and copies of the three recently filed petitions against Ms Torkornoo were initially withheld from her. Lawyers argued that this was a violation of her right to a fair hearing, but subsequent copies were made available to her. The five-member committee will invite her to respond to the allegations before a final decision is reached.
Ghana’s former attorney general, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has expressed his opposition to the suspension, calling it ‘the biggest assault on the judiciary in the nation’s history‘. He believes that Ms Torkornoo‘s suspension is an attempt to undermine the independence of the judiciary.
Godfred Yeboah Dame is a Ghanaian politician and lawyer.
He served as the Attorney General of Ghana from 2021 to 2023.
Prior to his appointment, he was a Deputy Attorney General.
Dame holds a Master's degree in Law from the University of London and has practiced law for over two decades.
His tenure as Attorney General focused on strengthening the rule of law and promoting justice in Ghana.
