Ghana’s Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo Sacked Over Alleged Misuse of Public Funds

Ghana’s President John Mahama has dismissed Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo after a presidential inquiry found her guilty of “stated misbehaviour” and recommended her removal from office.

The decision, announced on Monday, follows months of controversy after Torkornoo—Ghana’s third female chief justice—was suspended in April over multiple petitions accusing her of misconduct and abuse of office.

A presidential commission reviewing the case concluded that there was evidence of unlawful expenditure of public funds linked to her private travels, including trips to Tanzania and the United States in 2023. During those trips, her husband and daughter were allegedly paid allowances from public coffers despite the journeys being personal.

She was also accused of interfering with judicial appointments by bypassing standard selection procedures for Supreme Court judges and abusing her authority in the transfer of judiciary staff.

Torkornoo has denied all allegations, describing them as politically motivated and part of a campaign to undermine her integrity.

“These claims are baseless and orchestrated to silence judicial independence,” her legal team said earlier.

The presidency, however, maintained that President Mahama acted in line with the commission’s recommendations, leaving him “no discretion under the constitution.”

Concerns Over Judicial Independence

Critics and legal experts have voiced concern that Torkornoo’s removal could erode public confidence in the judiciary and set a dangerous precedent for political interference.

Former deputy attorney general Alfred Tuah-Yeboah told AFP the decision “sets a worrying tone,” saying,

“If this threshold is what now qualifies for a chief justice’s removal, then I fear for the future of Ghana’s judiciary.”

William Nyarko, Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Law and Accountability, called for a review of Ghana’s removal laws, noting that “stated misbehaviour” is not clearly defined under the constitution.

He cited Kenya’s model, where disciplinary action against a chief justice must originate from the Judicial Service Commission, as a more independent approach.

Torkornoo—appointed in 2023 by former President Nana Akufo-Addo—was also removed as a Supreme Court judge following the inquiry’s findings. She becomes the first sitting chief justice in Ghana’s history to be investigated and dismissed.

The embattled former CJ is expected to challenge her dismissal in court, though legal experts say the outcome may not favour her.

Her removal has deepened Ghana’s ongoing debate over executive influence in the judiciary and the future of judicial accountability in one of West Africa’s most respected democracies.