Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkonoo
President John Dramani Mahama has sacked the Chief Justice of Ghana, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkonoo.
A statement issued by the Jubilee House, the Presidency in Ghana on Monday, September 1, 2025, said the Chief Justice was removed from office with immediate effect in accordance with Article 146(9) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
According to the statement, “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 explained.
As Africa Publicity earlier reported on Monday afternoon, September 1, Ghana’s Article 146 Committee of Inquiry submitted its first report on petitions which were seeking the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo from office.
On Monday, September 1, 2025, the committee presented the report to President John Dramani Mahama at the Jubilee House.
According to the Presidency, the panel was considering three separate petitions calling for the Chief Justice’s removal.
Presenting the report, the Chair of the Committee, Justice Gabriel Pwamang, explained that the proceedings were conducted in camera in accordance with Article 146(7) and (8). He stressed that the panel deliberately refrained from public commentary despite “blatant false statements made about members of the committee and our work.”
“In camera proceedings are not the same as in secret,” Justice Pwamang clarified, noting that while procedural details may be shared, the substantive issues remain confidential.
On the first petition, filed by Daniel Ofori, the committee heard testimony from 13 witnesses on behalf of the petitioner. The Chief Justice, who also testified under cross-examination, presented 12 witnesses, including experts.
In total, the committee received about 10,000 pages of documentary exhibits, with each side represented by four lawyers.
“After critical and dispassionate examination and assessment of all the evidence, including the expert evidence, against the provisions of the Constitution and the relevant laws, we have, without fear or favour, arrived at a recommendation on the first petition,” Justice Pwamang stated before handing the sealed recommendation to the President.
He further disclosed that both the second petitioner and the Chief Justice requested an adjournment of the second petition, which was granted.
“Accordingly, we shall be reporting on the second and third petitions in due course,” he added.
Chief Justice fights
The Chief Justice has been fighting her removal from office. She sued the Ghanaian government at the ECOWAS Court a few weeks ago.