KEY POINTS
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Sophia Akuffo questions fairness in Torkonoo’s removal.
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She warns the dismissal sets a dangerous precedent.
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Legal voices decry an assault on judicial independence.
Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has strongly criticized the process that led to the dismissal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, describing it as deeply flawed and unfair. Speaking in an interview with TV3 on Monday, Akuffo said the proceedings that culminated in Torkonoo’s removal amounted to a “rigmarole” and warned that the episode set a dangerous precedent for Ghana’s judiciary.
Her comments come a day after President John Dramani Mahama dismissed Torkonoo on the recommendation of an Article 146 Committee, which had been tasked to investigate a petition alleging “stated misbehaviour.” The government has insisted it was constitutionally bound to act on the findings, but the process has triggered widespread criticism from within Ghana’s legal and political circles.
Sophia Akuffo questions fairness in Torkonoo’s removal
Akuffo, who also sits on the Council of State, expressed dismay over the way the matter was handled. She argued that Torkonoo had not been granted a fair hearing, despite the seriousness of the decision. “She did not get a fair trial,” Akuffo said. “Even though it is not a trial strictly speaking, it was handled as though it were a treason trial.”
The former Chief Justice stressed that the allegations lacked the gravity necessary to justify removing the head of the judiciary. “They lack the gravity that will lead to a grave outcome such as the removal of the head of an institution of justice,” she said.
Sophia Akuffo warns of precedent for judiciary
Her sharp critique echoes Torkonoo’s own earlier remarks, in which she labeled the process “cruel” and unconstitutional. Other prominent figures have also spoken out, including former Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, who called the decision an “unholy assault on the independence of the judiciary” and accused the government of fulfilling a campaign promise.
The dismissal of Chief Justice Torkonoo marks a historic and controversial chapter in Ghana’s legal history. The move has reignited national debate about the integrity of constitutional institutions and the fragile balance of power between the judiciary and the executive.
As the fallout continues, Akuffo offered a sobering plea: “I pray to God that no Chief Justice, no Judge should go through this rigmarole again.”
