Former Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, has filed a Judicial Review application at the Accra High Court seeking to overturn her removal from office and to stop the vetting and approval of Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.
The application, brought on her behalf by her legal team led by learned counsel Kwabena Adu-Kusi, challenges the legality, rationality, and procedural propriety of the Justice Pwamang Committee’s recommendation that led to her dismissal by President John Dramani Mahama.
In her over 270-page application, accompanied by a detailed 96-paragraph affidavit, Justice Torkornoo is praying the Court to quash the entire proceedings of the Justice Pwamang Committee, including the reasons it provided, the process it adopted, and the recommendation it made to the President for her removal.
She argues that the Committee’s conclusions were “irrational and illogical” and that the President’s reliance on them to issue a warrant removing her from office as Chief Justice was unlawful.
Through her application, Justice Torkornoo is not only seeking to have the proceedings declared null and void but also asking the Court to prohibit any further actions toward the appointment of a new substantive Chief Justice.
This includes an order stopping Parliament and the Presidency from considering or approving the nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as her replacement pending the final determination of her case.
According to her filing, Justice Torkornoo contends that the Justice Pwamang Committee failed to properly evaluate crucial evidence and reports that exonerated her from any wrongdoing.
Central to her argument is the handling of one Mr. Francis Baiden, a staff of the Judicial Service who was in charge of the e-Justice system.
She asserts that both a committee chaired by Justice Dr. Owusu-Dapaa and an investigative report by the National Signals Bureau identified Mr. Baiden as the prime suspect in the tampering and doctoring of judicial documents.
Justice Torkornoo argues that in light of these findings, her decision to transfer Mr. Baiden could not reasonably be considered misconduct.
She insists that the Committee’s recommendation to remove her from office on that basis was “illogical, irrational, and contrary to the evidence available.”
Allegations of Tampering with Evidence
The former Chief Justice’s troubles reportedly stem from her administrative handling of a case titled Republic v. James Gyakye Quayson (Suit No. CR/0264/2022), in which allegations surfaced about the tampering of court documents.
Justice Torkornoo maintains that her actions in transferring Mr. Baiden were consistent with established administrative protocols and aimed solely at preserving the integrity of the judiciary, especially after the discovery of doctored records.
She asserts that the Justice Pwamang Committee’s findings ignored both the report of Justice Dr. Owusu-Dapaa’s committee and the National Signals Bureau’s intelligence brief, which corroborated her concerns about document manipulation.
According to her, these two independent reports provided sufficient justification for her administrative actions, and the failure of the Committee to consider them renders its conclusions fundamentally flawed.
In a striking part of her application, Justice Torkornoo draws comparisons with Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, who assumed the office of Acting Chief Justice following her removal.
She points out that Justice Baffoe-Bonnie himself made several transfers of judges upon assuming his interim position, suggesting that administrative transfers are a normal and accepted part of judicial management.
She therefore questions the basis on which the Pwamang Committee and the President considered her similar action as misconduct warranting removal from office.
Her Ladyship further argues that the process leading to her removal was unconstitutional and procedurally defective.
She maintains that the Committee’s work lacked transparency, fairness, and adherence to due process. According to her lawyers, the recommendation of the Committee and the subsequent presidential warrant of removal issued on 1st September 2025 cannot stand the test of legality.
Security of Judicial Benefits
As part of her cascading reliefs, Justice Torkornoo is asking the High Court to issue an order prohibiting the State from denying or withdrawing any salary, benefit, or entitlement due her before the issuance of the removal warrant.
She contends that until the legality of her removal is determined, any attempt to strip her of her entitlements as Chief Justice would amount to prejudging the case and causing her irreparable harm.
The case raises profound constitutional and institutional questions regarding the removal of a sitting Chief Justice and the independence of the judiciary.
If successful, the application could have far-reaching implications for the appointment of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie and the legitimacy of the current transitional arrangements at the top of the judiciary.
The High Court will now determine whether Her Ladyship Gertrude Torkornoo’s challenge will proceed to a full hearing or be dismissed at the preliminary stage.
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