Details have emerged about the identity of the lawyers representing the petitioners calling for the removal of Justice Gertrude Torkornoo as Ghana’s Chief Justice.
The veteran Tsatsu Tsikata, who is affiliated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as well as Thaddeus Sory, a private legal practitioner, according to reports, are representing the group calling itself Shining Stars of Ghana.
Another private lawyer, who some claims has ties with the ruling NDC, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, is said to be representing Daniel Ofori, while Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ayamga Yakubu Akolgo, who is also a lawyer, is representing himself.
The three petitions which were filed some time in February 2025, have led to President John Mahama suspending the Chief Justice after the finding of a prima facie case against her by the Council of State.
The President subsequently set up a five-member committee to probe the petitions, chaired by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, a Justice of the Supreme Court whom many believe is next in line to be appointed Chief Justice should Justice Torkornoo be removed.
A report by Accra-based Asaase Radio indicates that during the committee’s first sitting, Justice Torkornoo requested that the entire hearing be made public so that Ghanaians could see firsthand everything that would transpire at the ongoing probe.
She is said to have justified her request by noting that all the processes leading to the formation of the committee and the probe had already gone public, in spite of the constitutional demand of the secrecy around the process.
The report said Justice Torkornoo’s request was, however, turned down by the committee, which indicated that since Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution demands that the committee sitting be held in-camera, they are inclined to abide by the dictates of the constitution.
The Chief Justice reportedly then demanded to know the exact rules that would guide the committee’s work.
The five-member committee settled on the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2004 (C.I. 47), which governs proceedings at the High and Circuit Courts in Ghana.
Suspension
President John Mahama on April 22, 2025, suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo following the setting up of a five-member committee to probe the three petitions calling for her removal from office.
The suspension followed the finding of prima facie by the Council of State, following the forwarding of the three petitions by the President.
The Council of State, after considering three separate petitions filed by a private citizen, Daniel Ofori; a senior police officer, Ayamga Akolgo, and a group calling itself Shining Stars of Ghana as well as the Chief Justice’s response, established a prima facie against her, leading to her suspension.
Failed Injunction
On May 6, 2025, the Supreme Court by a 3:2 majority decision dismissed an application which sought it to order President John Mahama to revoke the suspension of Justice Gertrude Torkornoo as the Chief Justice.
The court did not give a full reason for its decision, but indicated that having reviewed the processes filed before the court and having listened to counsel for the applicant and the Deputy Attorney General, the application seeking further action being taken by the President as well as the order reversing the warrant suspending the Chief Justice is refused.
The majority made up of Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie (president), Justice Omoro Tanko Amadu and Yonny Kulendi, with Justices Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu and Ernest Gaewu dissenting, dismissed the application and said the full reasons for doing so would be available by May 21, 2025.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak