Suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo has filed additional legal processes at the Supreme Court, citing grave violations of her constitutional rights in the ongoing impeachment proceedings against her.
In a supplementary affidavit filed on Monday, May 26, 2025, to support an earlier application for an interlocutory injunction, Justice Torkornoo alleges that the proceedings have been fraught with irregularities that amount to mental torture and degrading treatment.
Among the violations cited are the denial of access to her family, unwarranted searches, and the restriction of access to personal communication tools such as telephones and laptops. The Chief Justice argues that these actions constitute a breach of her rights under Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
One of the central points of contention is the venue of the proceedings. Justice Torkornoo questions the decision to hold the hearings at a high-security facility located at the Castle, Osu, instead of a judicial facility as has been standard practice in previous Article 146 proceedings. Her legal team argues that the choice of location—unprecedented for proceedings of this nature—raises serious concerns about transparency and judicial independence.
“The use of a cordoned-off, high-security facility to conduct what should be a constitutionally regulated judicial process casts doubt on the integrity and fairness of the proceedings,” the affidavit states.
Her lawyers further contend that the pattern of rights violations reflects a broader agenda to sideline her through unjust means. They describe the process as a “mockery of justice” and assert that the Chief Justice is being targeted in a politically motivated scheme designed to erode the independence of the judiciary.
Justice Torkornoo is therefore seeking the Supreme Court’s urgent intervention to halt the proceedings and safeguard not only her position but the constitutional guarantees of security of tenure and institutional integrity for all Justices of the Superior Courts of Judicature.
The Supreme Court is yet to fix a date for hearing the application.
By Peter Quao Adattor
