Torkornoo’s removal didn’t follow constitutional procedure – Afenyo-Markin

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has condemned the unlawful removal of the former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo from office.

Speaking during the vetting of the Chief Justice nominee, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, the Minority Leader explained that the removal of the former Chief Justice was carried out in a manner that breached constitutional procedures and undermined the principles of transparency and fairness.

“It is our [minority] contention that the removal of Torkornoo didn’t adhere to any constitutional procedure. Never should any Ghanaian suffer such a fate. The removal of Torkornoo was cloaked in unacceptably opaque circumstances,” Afenyo-Markin said.

The Minority Leader emphasised that the procedure lacked due process and accountability, asserting that such actions create a perilous precedent for the democratic and judicial integrity of the nation.

Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, who was appointed as Chief Justice in June 2023, became the first head of the judiciary to be dismissed from office under Ghana’s Fourth Republic.

Her removal followed a petition to President John Dramani Mahama and a subsequent recommendation by a special committee formed under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.

This decision has ignited significant public discourse, with various segments of the legal community and civil society questioning the fairness of the proceedings.

Afenyo-Markin’s remarks contribute to the increasing calls for an examination of the circumstances surrounding Justice Torkornoo’s dismissal, as the Appointments Committee of Parliament vets Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as her successor.