President John Dramani Mahama has suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo after receiving three separate petitions demanding her removal from office.
The suspension, which was carried out under Article 146(10) of the 1992 Constitution, comes after consultations with the Council of State.
A five-member committee has been constituted to probe the petitions submitted against the Chief Justice.
The committee is chaired by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, a Justice of the Supreme Court. Other members include Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu-Asiedu, also of the Supreme Court; Daniel Yaw Domelevo, former Auditor-General; Major Flora Bazwaanura Dalugo of the Ghana Armed Forces; and Professor James Sefah Dzisah, Associate Professor at the University of Ghana.
This move forms part of the President’s duty under Article 146(6) to act on judicial petitions upon recommendation by the Council of State.
The Chief Justice will remain suspended pending the outcome of the committee’s proceedings.
Chief Justice Torkornoo, in response to the petitions, formally requested copies of the submissions and was granted a 10-day period to file a preliminary response. She complied with the directive, submitting her response on April 7.
Reports say after consultations with the Council of State, a prima facie case was established, leading to her suspension to allow for formal investigations into the claims.
credit to Channel1news
