Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, the former Chief Justice, has called on the ECOWAS Court to deliver judgment in her favour.
The former Chief Justice argues that Ghana’s Attorney General has failed to file a response within the stipulated time.
Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo’s request follows her removal from office by President John Mahama.
It will be recalled, Justice Srem-Sai, the Deputy Attorney General, revealed that the suspended Chief Justice of Ghana, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, filed another case at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria.
In a post on X on Tuesday, July 8, Justice Srem-Sai wrote, “I can confirm that the Chief Justice – Her Ladyship, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo – has filed another court case – this time, at the ECOWAS Community Court in Abuja, Nigeria, against the Republic.
In the case, which was filed on July 4, Her Ladyship repeated the same allegations of human rights violations which are currently pending determination before our Supreme Court and, also, before our High Court in respect of the ongoing removal processes.
Essentially, Her Ladyship argues that by her suspension, she “has effectively been removed from her official capacity without a final determination, impairing her right to function and serve in a position she was constitutionally appointed to.”
Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, in her suit, accused President John Dramani Mahama of failing to specify the claims in the petitions for her removal.
According to the details of the lawsuit, she is seeking ten reliefs from the ECOWAS Court, including $10 million in compensation for moral and reputational damages suffered by the Applicant as a result of her illegal suspension and unfair investigation.
Meanwhile, President John Mahama sacked the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, from office with immediate effect after he received a first report from the five-member committee he constituted to investigate three petitions brought against the Chief Justice.
Hours after President Mahama received the committee reports, Chief Justice Torkornoo was sacked with immediate effect.
A statement from the presidency stated, “President John Dramani Mahama has, in accordance with Article 146(9) of the 1992 Constitution, removed the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, from office with immediate effect”.
“This follows receipt of the report of the Committee constituted under Article 146(6) to inquire into a petition submitted by a Ghanaian citizen, Mr. Daniel Ofori. After considering the petition and the evidence, the Committee found that the grounds of stated misbehaviour under Article 146(1) had been established and recommended her removal from office.
“Under Article 146(9), the President is required to act in accordance with the Committee’s recommendation,” the statement concluded.
A leaked document on social media concluded that Justice Torkornoo had engaged in conduct amounting to “stated misbehaviour” under Article 146(1).
The Key finding read, “Unlawful expenditure of public funds: The committee held that the Chief Justice caused the Judicial Service to pay travel expenses for her husband and daughter during private holiday trips in 2023, including per diem allowances. This, the report stated, was an “avoidable and reckless dissipation of public funds.”
Abuse of discretionary power: The committee found that her handling of the transfer of one Mr. Baiden breached Article 296(a) and (b) of the Constitution, describing the act as misbehaviour.
Interference in judicial appointments: The report also noted that she sought to bypass the established process for nominating Justices of the Supreme Court, contrary to precedent set in the Ghana Bar Association case. The committee concluded this amounted to misbehaviour”.
The committee subsequently recommended her removal in accordance with Article 146(7). President Mahama, bound by Article 146(9), which makes the President’s action mandatory once such a recommendation is made, formally removed Justice Torkornoo by Warrant of Removal under the Presidential Seal.
Meanwhile, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, the most senior Supreme Court judge, was appointed by President Mahama to act as Chief Justice during the investigation process.
President Mahama is now expected to name former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo’s successor in the coming days.
See the post below:
Former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo has called on the ECOWAS Court to deliver judgment in her favour, arguing that the Attorney General failed to file a response within the stipulated time.
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) September 3, 2025
This follows her removal from office#3NewsGH pic.twitter.com/BNcZRdYf9N