The identities behind the three petitions seeking the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo have surfaced following her suspension by President John Mahama.
Additionally, the full contents of the petitions and Justice Torkornoo’s responses have also emerged, although the constitution stipulates that all proceedings related to such petitions should be held in camera.
The petitioners have been identified as Kingsley Agyei, convener of Shining Stars of Ghana; lawyer and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ayamga Yakubu Akolgo; and Daniel Ofori.
The petitioners accused the Chief Justice of stated misbehaviour and incompetence, citing Article 146(1) of the 1992 Constitution, which reads: “A Justice of the Superior Court or a Chairman of a Regional Tribunal shall not be removed from office except for stated misbehaviour or incompetence, or on grounds of inability to perform the functions of his office arising from infirmity of body or mind.”
They argued that the Chief Justice would not restore public confidence in the
judiciary as a result of her demonstration of incompetence and stated misbehaviour and therefore must be removed from that high office.
Meanwhile, President Mahama has set up a five-member committee chaired by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, a Justice on the Supreme Court bench to handle the inquiry.
Other members are Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu-Asiedu, also a Justice on the Supreme Court bench, who was appointed in 2022.
Others in the five-member committee are Mr Daniel Yaw Domelevo, a former Auditor-General, Major Flora Bazaanura Dalugo from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), and Professor James Sefah Dzisah, an associate Professor at the University of Ghana.
However, there is no timeline on when the inquiry would be completed.
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