Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkonoo, is at risk of removal as President John Mahama consults the Council of State over three petitions seeking her dismissal.
A statement signed by Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, dated 26th March, confirmed:
President Mahama has received three (3) petitions from various individuals seeking the removal of the Chief Justice. The President has forwarded these petitions to the Council of State to commence the consultation process as mandated by Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.
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Justice Torkonoo, who succeeded Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, was sworn in as Ghana’s 15th Chief Justice and the third woman to hold the position on 12th June 2023 by former President Akufo-Addo.
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Previous Petitions Against the Chief Justice
On 17th December 2024, legal scholar Professor Kwaku Asare invoked Article 146(1) of the Constitution, demanding the Chief Justice’s removal over alleged misconduct and incompetence.
He cited, among other concerns, her controversial request for the appointment of five new Supreme Court justices, arguing that it breached constitutional provisions.
However, former President Akufo-Addo dismissed the petition on 6th January 2025 after consulting the Council of State, concluding that it lacked a prima facie case.
Warnings Against the Removal of the Chief Justice
Renowned economist and former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Professor Stephen Adei, has cautioned President Mahama against removing the Chief Justice and the Electoral Commission Chairperson.
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He warned that such a move, if politically motivated, could undermine Ghana’s democratic institutions and set a troubling precedent for future administrations.
