Every step taken to remove me breached the constitution – Suspended CJ Torkonoo

The suspended Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, has said that every step taken to remove her from office by the new John Mahama government has breached the Constitution of the Republic.

“Unfortunately, every step of the removal process that has been undertaken against me has been done in a manner that breaks every rule on how justice is delivered in our country.”

She added, “This is why I find the need to draw the nation’s attention to the serious violation of the constitution and law in the process, and the danger it holds for the development of the nation’s democracy.”

She said this in a press conference held in Accra on Wednesday, June 25. This is the first time she has appeared publicly to speak since her suspension.

Justice Torkornoo was suspended on 22 April 2025 by President John Mahama, after three petitions prompted a prima facie determination, with the Council of State consenting and a five-member inquiry committee established under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.

The move, unprecedented since the 1992 Constitution came into force, placed the next senior Supreme Court justice, Paul Baffoe‑Bonnie, in an acting capacity, triggering controversy and accusations of politicisation from the opposition.

Ms Torkornoo, who had been Ghana’s third female Chief Justice since June 2023, has since initiated a legal challenge in the Supreme Court to contest her suspension and bar committee members from adjudicating her removal.

Legal experts, such as Alfred Tuah‑Yeboah, have emphasised her constitutional right to defend herself and contest any procedural irregularities.

As the case proceeds, her strong rebuke highlights deep tensions over judicial independence and due process in Ghana’s governance.