A "Higher Bar" for a the new CJ
By Dr. Ato Kwamena Danso · 2 September 2025 · Politics
Greetings from the motherland! The past few weeks have been anything but a sweet home experience. As I hinted last month, the Chief Justice was in hot water, and now the pot has officially boiled over. In a truly unprecedented move, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has been removed from her post. This isn't just a political promise fulfilled; it's a monumental event in our country's history. The removal is far from simple. Gertrude Torkornoo has reportedly lost everything, including 22 years of pension benefits, because she chose to fight the petition rather than resign. The charges leveled against her were serious: unlawful expenditure of public funds, abuse of discretionary power, and unconstitutional interference in judicial appointments. The allegations, put forth by Kingsley Agyei and his clients from "Shining Star of Ghana," have been deemed to have merit by the special committee. Their main grievance was a letter penned by the CJ to Nana Addo, requesting the appointment of five Court of Appeal justices to the Supreme Court. Agyei claims this move breaches Article 144 of the 1992 Constitution. While a previous ruling by Justice Dotse in a different case clarified that the President’s consultation with the Judicial Council and Council of State are more suggestions than commandments, the committee found something amiss. But that's not all. The drama's second and third acts involve a whopping Gh₵261,000.00 allegedly mismanaged in tickets and per diems. The plot thickens with the supposed luxury, taxpayer-funded travels of the CJ’s husband, Francis, and daughter, Edem. Apparently, a 2010 policy, amended in 2019, allows the Chief Justice to travel with a companion at the judicial service’s expense, a policy that seems ripe for abuse. My question is, why is the person who approved this still in office? This is exactly why we have systems in place, to prevent these very issues. I can't help but agree with the late Justice Sophia Akuffo: these infractions, while serious, seem to lack the gravitas required for the grave punishment of removing a Chief Justice. The entire process is flawed. The mandated involvement of sitting Supreme Court justices in the committee's report creates a clear conflict of interest, and the President's appointment of the committee chairman raises concerns of undue influence.Adding insult to injury, we must now ask if the justice who presided over this committee is a potential candidate for the next Chief Justice. It's a system that seems to reward those who participate in the downfall of others. This new precedent should serve as a chilling warning to every government official and person in power. If a Chief Justice can be removed over travel per diems and a letter, no one is safe. The floodgates for petitions have been opened, and the legal system is about to get very, very busy. It seems the new national pastime is to see who can write the most compelling petition for removal. You better watch your step, because your political foes are probably already drafting their complaints. Yours sincerely, Ato_KD