The Office of the President has confirmed receipt of two new petitions calling for the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
The identities of the petitioners remain undisclosed.
These submissions bring the total number of removal petitions against the Chief Justice to five. The first three petitions, filed by separate individuals on February 14 and March 17, 2025, were referred to the Council of State for assessment.
Following a review, the Council of State concluded that a prima facie case existed and formally advised President John Dramani Mahama on the matter. Acting on this counsel, and based on the findings of a committee tasked with evaluating the initial petitions, President Mahama issued a formal letter on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, suspending Chief Justice Torkornoo pending further proceedings.
The President’s decision—made in consultation with the Council of State and pursuant to Article 146(6) of the 1992 Constitution—has ignited a nationwide conversation on judicial independence and the possible politicization of constitutional mechanisms.
With the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo now in effect, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, has been appointed to serve as Acting Chief Justice, in accordance with Article 144(6) of the Constitution.
In line with due process, Chief Justice Torkornoo was formally served with the initial petitions and granted a 10-day period to respond. She submitted her written response on April 7. Following a review of her submission, it was determined that the allegations merited a full-scale investigation.
Although the specific details of the five petitions remain confidential under Article 146, sources close to the matter suggest they center on alleged misconduct and abuse of power.
