Veteran journalist and former member of the Judicial Council, Elizabeth Ohene, has strongly criticized the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, warning that the decision threatens the integrity of Ghana’s judiciary and democracy.
In a detailed opinion piece titled “The Third Arm of Government”, sighted by Citi News, Ohene described the move as a “short-term, high-handed enterprise” with far-reaching implications.
“Something tells me we shall all live to regret this short-term, high-handed enterprise,” she wrote.
Ohene revealed that some within the judiciary had backed the Chief Justice’s removal, viewing her as “too hard.” However, she cautioned that such a justification sets a dangerous precedent.
“Let all such people keep in mind that today it is Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo that is being tossed out, but in truth, the entire judiciary of Ghana, the Third Arm of Government has been fatally undermined.”
Audit Findings Questioned
Drawing on her experience as a former member of the Judicial Council, Ohene expressed disbelief over the audit findings that reportedly led to Justice Torkornoo’s removal. According to her, the issue involved the purchase of airline tickets, a matter she believed should never have escalated to such a level.
“I was on the Judicial Council when CJ Torkornoo reported to the Council that there had been an Audit finding against her for the purchase of some airline tickets. I was startled,” Ohene recalled.
She questioned whether the Chief Justice had deliberately acted against advice regarding travel entitlements — something she found highly unlikely.
Criticism of Petition and Process
Ohene also cast doubt on the petition filed by businessman Daniel Ofori, which reportedly formed the basis of the removal. She noted that many of the 21 issues raised had already been addressed internally by the Judicial Council.
“Of the 21 listed items in the petition, I can identify more than 10 as issues that came before the Judicial Council and were exhaustively discussed,” she stated.
She took issue with claims of bias related to judicial appointments, asking:
“How do these matters now get to be listed as evidence of capricious behaviour or bias on the part of CJ Torkornoo?”
Ohene criticized what she described as a double standard in the treatment of the judiciary compared to the other arms of government.
“I would be very surprised that there would ever be an Audit Finding against a President of the Republic or a Speaker of Parliament for any reason, never mind for having asked for a ticket to be purchased for a spouse,” she argued.
She emphasized the need to resolve internal issues within the judiciary itself, rather than allowing external political forces to intervene.
Breaking Silence in “Extraordinary Times”
While acknowledging the confidentiality of Judicial Council deliberations, Ohene said the gravity of the situation warranted public disclosure.
“If I am breaking any laws by writing about things that I got to know as a result of having served on the Judicial Council, I plead guilty. We are in extraordinary times. It isn’t every day that a Chief Justice is removed.”
Her intervention adds to growing public discourse surrounding the controversial removal of Chief Justice Torkornoo, who served as the head of Ghana’s judiciary since 2023.
