President John Dramani Mahama suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo on April 22, 2025, marking Ghana’s first-ever formal investigation into a sitting chief justice under constitutional removal procedures. The decision follows three petitions alleging misconduct, though specific allegations remain undisclosed.
According to a statement by spokesman for President John Mahama, the suspension was enacted under Article 146(6) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, after the Council of State confirmed a prima facie case against Torkornoo. A five-member committee, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Pwamang, will investigate the claims privately. Other members include former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, military representative Major Flora Dalugo, and academic Prof. James Dzisah.
Torkornoo, appointed in 2023 as Ghana’s third female chief justice, survived a dismissed removal petition in January 2024. The committee’s findings will determine whether grounds exist for her permanent removal.