Ghana: Tensions rise as chief justice Torkornoo suspended

Ghana’s Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, has been suspended following three misconduct petitions, in a move that has sparked political controversy and divided public opinion.

This marks the first time in the nation’s history that a sitting chief justice has been suspended.

President John Mahama’s administration claims the suspension is necessary to allow a fair investigation.

However, opposition leaders accuse the president of interfering in the judiciary and attempting to install judges sympathetic to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame condemned the action as “the biggest assault on the judiciary in the nation’s history,” citing procedural missteps, including the delayed delivery of the petitions to the chief justice.

Torkornoo, who was appointed in 2023 as Ghana’s third female chief justice, has not publicly responded to the allegations.

A five-member committee has been formed to investigate the claims, with two additional petitions emerging after the suspension.

The controversy has intensified the debate over judicial independence in Ghana, as the nation awaits the outcome of the investigation.