Suspended Chief Justice(CJ) Gertrude Torkornoo has accused the committee investigating her of intentionally creating an environment of secrecy and intimidation, designed to silence her and shield the process from public oversight.
Addressing the public on Wednesday, June 25, Justice Torkornoo disclosed that the ongoing impeachment proceedings, held at a high-security facility on Castle Drive in Osu, deviate from established legal traditions and are aimed at weakening her ability to mount a proper defence.
“The work of the committee is being conducted in a cordoned high-security zone on Castle Drive, Osu, where all Article 146 proceedings since 1993 have been held in facilities of the Judicial Service. It is hard not to conclude that the choice of venue, against the backdrop of secrecy of proceedings, is intended to intimidate me and prevent any citizen of Ghana from knowing how the process is being conducted,” she declared.
In her address, the Chief Justice catalogued a series of procedural breaches she believes undermine the credibility and fairness of the investigation, among them was the committee’s refusal to acknowledge her legal representation on the first day of hearings, solely because she was not physically present with her lawyer at the time.
“They proceeded with the hearing while my lawyer sat in front of them, entirely excluded from participation,” she said.
She further accused the committee of failing to present the specific charges she is expected to respond to, a move she described as a denial of her constitutional right to prepare an adequate defence.
Justice Torkornoo also criticised what she described as selective hearing practices. According to her, two petitioners, Daniel Ofori and Shining Stars, were permitted not to testify or present their cases, raising questions about the committee’s impartiality.
In addition, she claimed she has been denied entry with family members and subjected to personal searches that she says breach official protocols for the treatment of a Chief Justice.
“I have been searched physically, and my handbag has been inspected before every appearance. Such treatment is inconsistent with courtesies extended to the Chief Justice both locally and internationally,” she asserted.
Justice Torkornoo has been under suspension since April 22, 2025, following a prima facie determination of misconduct by President John Dramani Mahama, made in consultation with the Council of State under Article 146(10) of the Constitution.
A five-member committee was constituted to investigate the claims. Proceedings have since been held behind closed doors under constitutional norms. However, efforts by the Chief Justice to halt the process through four separate court actions, including one she filed personally, were all dismissed by the Supreme Court.
