Torkornoo Sues to Halt Vetting and Mahama's Appointment Of Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice
- Gertrude Torkornoo has sued to stop the vetting and appointment of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as chief justice following her removal from the position
- Torkornoo is also challenging the processes that led to her removal from office following recommendations from the Justice Pwamang Committee
- Torkornoo was removed from office following a recommendation by the committee probing petitions against her
Sacked Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has sued to stop the vetting and subsequent appointment of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as the next Chief Justice of Ghana.
Joy News reported that her suit at the High Court seeks to stop all proceedings of the Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang Committee established under Article 146 to consider petitions for her removal.
Source: UGC
Torkornoo is also asking the court to set aside all proceedings conducted by the Committee tasked with investigating petitions for her removal.
She is also requesting that the Presidential Warrant that removed her from office be declared unlawful, null, void, and of no effect.
The development comes as the Appointments Committee of Parliament prepares to vet Justice Baffoe-Bonnie.
This legal challenge arises against the backdrop of Justice Torkonoo’s removal from office on September 1, 2025, by President John Mahama following findings by a constitutionally established committee of misconduct and stated misbehaviour under Article 146.
The inquiry, undertaken in consultation with the Council of State, determined that she had breached constitutional provisions, including the misuse of public funds, and recommended her removal.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie has been Acting Chief Justice since April 22, 2025, following Torkonoo’s suspension, and was formally nominated by the President in September to take over the substantive role.
Torkornoo was removed following a recommendation by the committee probing complaints against her.
She had been on suspension since April 2025 after complaints were lodged against her in five petitions.
The investigative committee found that grounds of stated misbehaviour had been established following its probe.
According to the Presidency, the committee reviewed 10,000 pages of evidence submitted and heard from 13 witnesses on behalf of the first petitioner.
The chief justice also testified and called 12 other witnesses, including experts.
What findings led to Torkornoo's removal?
The committee pushed for Torkornoo's removal because of unlawful expenditure of public funds, abuse of discretionary power, and interference in judicial appointments.
Source: Facebook
For the unlawful expenditure of public funds, she authorised the Judicial Service to cover travel expenses and per diem allowances for her husband and daughter during private holiday trips in 2023.
With respect to the grounds of abuse of discretionary power, her handling of the transfer violated Article 296(a) and (b) of the Constitution and amounted to misbehaviour.
Torkornoo sues for compensation from the government
YEN.com.gh reported that Torkornoo earlier sued the government for $10 million in compensation as part of the fight against her impeachment.
Torkornoo believes her initial suspension from office violated her rights under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.
She sought a declaration that the suspension violated her rights to a fair hearing.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
