The decision by President John Dramani Mahama, in consultation with the Council of State, to suspend Chief Justice (CJ) and head of the judiciary, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, has sparked division among Ghanaians.
On April 22, 2025, a statement signed by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, announced the suspension.
It stated that the move follows the establishment of a prima facie case against Chief Justice Torkornoo by the President, based on three petitions filed against her.
“President John Dramani Mahama has, in accordance with Article 146(6) of the Constitution and in consultation with the Council of State, determined that a prima facie case has been established in respect of three petitions against the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
“Pursuant to Article 146(10) of the Constitution, and in accordance with the advice of the Council of State, the President has, by a warrant, suspended the Chief Justice with immediate effect, pending the outcome of the committee’s proceedings,” the statement read.
In the wake of her suspension, some Ghanaians, speaking exclusively to GhanaWeb on Thursday, April 24, 2025, expressed strong support for the President’s decision, calling it a bold step in the ongoing fight against corruption under the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative.
Supporters argue that allowing the Chief Justice to remain in office could obstruct the prosecution of certain former officials implicated in corruption. They believe her suspension, and potential removal depending on the outcome of the probe, will promote accountability and strengthen anti-corruption efforts.
“The reason I support this is that, once the Chief Justice is removed, issues like the bribery and corruption at the Tema Port involving the missing ECG containers can be properly investigated and prosecuted. If she remains in office, the case could be dropped, and it would be hard to get to the bottom of what happened,” one citizen said.
Another individual emphasised that the suspension was necessary to allow for a fair and thorough investigation.
“There are some issues, which is why she has been suspended. She wouldn’t have been suspended if there wasn’t any wrongdoing. So I think the President did the right thing,” the individual opined.
However, others voiced strong opposition to the move, arguing that Chief Justice Torkornoo should remain in office.
They raised concerns about the increasing politicisation of independent institutions, warning that such interference could undermine the integrity of the judiciary and hamper national development.
“Personally, I think the Chief Justice should be allowed to do her job freely. Our political culture has made it so that every new government wants to replace key figures with their own people. If we don’t stop this trend, it will negatively impact the country’s development,” another said.
Critics have called for constitutional reforms to safeguard the independence of the judiciary. They advocate for a system that insulates the judiciary from executive interference and limits the President’s power to suspend or remove a Chief Justice.
Additionally, they proposed a new law that would ensure Chief Justices can only leave office upon reaching the mandatory retirement age or after completing their full term.
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