Former Chief Justice and Council of State member, Justice Sophia Akuffo, has strongly criticised the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, calling the process unjust and damaging to Ghana’s judicial integrity.
Justice Akuffo described the recent dismissal—executed by President John Dramani Mahama—as a dark chapter in Ghana’s democratic history.
“I pray to God that no Chief Justice, no Judge should go through this rigmarole again,” she said solemnly, expressing deep concern over the precedent the situation sets for judicial independence.
Justice Akuffo, who served as Ghana’s 13th Chief Justice, said the manner in which the investigation and removal were carried out resembled a politically motivated persecution.
“She did not get a fair trial. Even though it wasn’t technically a trial, it was handled as though it were a treason case,” she remarked, implying the process lacked objectivity and transparency.
Her comments add to growing backlash against the decision, which has sparked widespread criticism from civil society groups, legal experts, and political observers—many of whom view the removal as an assault on the independence of the judiciary.
Background
On April 22, 2025, President Mahama suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo after determining that three undisclosed petitions alleging misconduct and incompetence had established a prima facie case under Article 146(6) of the 1992 Constitution.
Following constitutional procedures, a five-member committee was appointed to investigate. It was chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang and included Justice Samuel Adibu-Asiedu, former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo, Major Flora Bazaanura Dalugo, and Professor James Sefah-Dzisah.
Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, the most senior judge on the Supreme Court, was named Acting Chief Justice during the investigation.
The suspension rocked Ghana’s legal community. The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) condemned the move, claiming it violated Article 296 of the Constitution, which requires that discretionary powers be exercised with clearly published guidelines or regulations—none of which were made public.
The Centre for Democratic Movement (CDM) also denounced the process, labelling it constitutionally flawed and politically compromised. The group questioned the impartiality of the committee, pointing to what they described as a lack of transparency and political balance in its composition.
Chief Justice Torkornoo has fiercely defended herself, rejecting the process as arbitrary and unconstitutional. She refused to resign, arguing that doing so would amount to surrendering her right to due process.
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) joined the criticism, branding the suspension unconstitutional and a threat to Ghana’s democratic stability.
Despite the protests, President Mahama officially removed Chief Justice Torkornoo on Monday, September 1, 2025, following the committee’s recommendation that she be dismissed for “stated misbehaviour.”
