By: Maxwell Woyram Tsigbe
Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo has asked President Mahama to furnish her with copies of the petitions submitted to him seeking her removal from office as the head of the country’s Judiciary.
To enable her abreast herself of and respond accordingly to issues raised in the various petitions, the Chief Justice wrote to President Mahama on Thursday, March 27, 2025, appealing for access to the documents.
Her request follows the submission of three (3) petitions to the president seeking her removal from office as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana and subsequent consultations initiated by the president with the Council of State.
In her letter, she requested for a fair opportunity to respond to the allegations against her.
“I am by this letter humbly and respectfully asking His Excellency the President and eminent members of the Council of State to forward the petitions against me to me, and allow me at least seven days after receipt of same, to provide my response to you, which response can then form part of the material that you conduct the consultations anticipated under 146 (6), before the possible setting up of a Committee of Inquiry under article 146 (7),” she stated.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Assafuah, has filed a law suit at the Supreme Court questioning the procedure being used to handle the petition. According to the lawmaker, the Chief Justice ought to heard before any consultation with the Council of State.
However, the Minister for Government Communication, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, asserted that the petitions were forwarded to the Council in accordance with Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.
Although the contents of all three petitions remain unknown, the Council of State is expected to advise the President on the appropriate action after its review.