President John Dramani Mahama has officially received the report from the Article 146 Committee of Inquiry, which was established to investigate the petitions regarding the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo from her position.
This development comes after the President’s earlier conclusion that a prima facie case had been established based on three distinct petitions requesting the Chief Justice’s removal. In accordance with Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, President Mahama subsequently established a five-member committee to conduct the inquiry.
The committee, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, also included former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo, Major Flora Bazaanura Dalugo of the Ghana Armed Forces, and Professor James Sefah Dzisah of the University of Ghana.
The committee has completed its work and has submitted its findings to the President. According to constitutional provisions, President Mahama is now required to review the report and announce his decision to the public in a timely manner.
The legal community, civil society, and political figures are closely observing the outcome of this process, given its significance for judicial independence, constitutional governance, and public confidence in the justice system.
On April 22, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo from her position following the establishment of a prima facie case based on three undisclosed petitions that alleged misconduct and incompetence.
Under Article 146(6), the president, after consulting the Council of State, may suspend a Supreme Court justice if a prima facie case is established and form an investigative committee. President Mahama followed this by forming a five-member inquiry panel led by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, with Daniel Yaw Domelevo, Major Flora Bazaanura Dalugo, and Professor James Sefah-Dzisah as members.
Legal professional development.
Legal professional development.
Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, the highest-ranking judge of the Supreme Court, was designated as the acting Chief Justice during the ongoing investigation.
The suspension caused significant upheaval within Ghana’s legal sector. The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) criticized the move as unconstitutional, asserting that the president failed to issue any Constitutional Instrument or regulations to validate the use of discretionary power, as mandated by Article 296 of the Constitution.
In a similar vein, the Centre for Democratic Movement (CDM) condemned the action as a violation of constitutional principles and judicial independence. CDM questioned the neutrality of the inquiry, pointing out that the committee’s makeup appeared politically biased and lacked transparency, thus compromising due process.
Chief Justice Torkornoo has openly defended her position, describing the suspension and removal actions as “arbitrary,” “cruel,” and unconstitutional. She has declined to resign, stating that doing so would equate to acquiescing to a flawed process and relinquishing her right to defend herself.
The NPP (New Patriotic Party) shared these apprehensions, denouncing the suspension as unconstitutional and cautioning that it threatened Ghana’s democratic integrity.
