Suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has ruled out the possibility of stepping down, stating that doing so would legitimise what she describes as a constitutionally flawed and politically tainted process.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, she firmly stated:
“If I resign under these circumstances, I will be saying that this flawed, unknown and opaque process is acceptable. It is not.”
Her suspension, effected by President Mahama on April 22, 2025, followed three petitions of alleged misconduct, which triggered a constitutional process under Article 146. A five-member investigative committee was subsequently constituted to probe the matter.
Justice Torkornoo expressed deep frustration with the treatment she has received throughout the proceedings. She alleged degrading treatment, including repeated body searches and restrictions on her personal freedoms.
“I am subjected to searches of my body and handbag, in violation of courtesies extended to any Chief Justice,” she said, also revealing that her electronic devices have been confiscated.
She described the venue of the hearings—the Osu Castle—as a high-security zone designed to psychologically intimidate.
“These bizarre proceedings present a twist to our nation’s democratic journey that we all ignore at our own cost,” she warned.
Torkornoo stressed that her case is emblematic of a broader issue affecting all public officers subject to removal under Article 146, calling on citizens to defend the integrity of Ghana’s constitutional democracy.
“Ghana has come too far not to be concerned about the unconstitutionalities that have been designed not to affect just me personally as Chief Justice, but all judges and public officers,” she said.
Her statements mark an unprecedented moment in Ghana’s judicial history—never before has a sitting or suspended Chief Justice addressed the nation under such circumstances.
