The suspended chief justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, is clearly a lawyer who doesn’t appear to know what a human rights infringement is. Knowing that she had lost her case and the support of Ghanaians for her suspension to be overturned, the former chief justice filed a complaint against her country, the Republic of Ghana, at the ECOWAS Court of Justice. The suspended mentally disturbed woman was nominated to the Supreme Court in November 2019 by the former Ghanaian president, Akufo-Addo.
In a case that was filed on July 4, 2025, Gertrude Torkornoo reiterated the same claims of human rights abuses, which are still pending resolution before the Supreme Court and the High Court with regard to the ongoing removal procedures. However, considering that her removal procedure had nothing to do with a violation of human rights, the former chief justice’s response and frantic acts appear to be more explanations or proof that she has lost her fight to keep her position.
A basic understanding of human rights violations is necessary for one to comprehend abuses of those rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights make up the International Bill of Human Rights. Considering that every member of the human family is the cornerstone of freedom, justice, and peace in the world, in line with the ideals stated in the UN Charter.
Gertrude Torkornoo has not been the target of discrimination. Her nationality, gender, or religion has not been used against her or prevented her from enrolling in any educational institution or from being expelled from one. According to Article 146 of the Ghanaian Constitution, a five-member investigating committee was established to look into the woman’s conduct throughout the tenure of her appointee, Akufo-Addo. These actions include suspected misconduct and incompetence.
The woman who boasted that “the law is the law” did not realize that the same law would eventually come back to haunt her. She continued to abuse her position of authority while under investigation by requesting what she felt was right. She did everything she could to influence the panel looking into her case, including asking for the dismissal of one of the judges involved. Gertrude Torkornoo continues to criticize the state because she feels that nothing is going her way as she wants.
Ghanaians noticed the previous chief justice’s ongoing biased decisions favoring the NPP, her ruling party. Ghanaians also saw how Torkornoo misused her position of authority by taking over parliamentary cases, which was against the Constitution. More significantly, when she claimed that President Mahama mispronounced her name, the suspended Chief Justice discriminated against him by wearing a terrible face. That prejudice against Mahama, in my judgment, constitutes a human rights violation.
Ghana is looking at a very dangerous person or a criminal hiding behind judiciary robes if Gertrude Torkornoo, a lawyer, acts as though she doesn’t understand “the violation of human rights” or misinterprets its meaning. Since the former president is a professional criminal, all of Akufo-Addo’s appointments, both big and small, including Gertrude Torkornoo, Mahamudu Bawumia, Jean Mensa, Rev. Kusi Boateng, Cecilia Dapaah, Ken Ofori-Atta, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, and others, are criminals.
If Akufo-Addo doesn’t appoint criminals to his cabinet, he will pick his favorite politicians and train them to be criminals. Imagine a government that pledged to combat corruption but instead violated Ghanaians’ human rights by making decisions based on a printed book called “Agyapadie.” Similarly, Gertrude Torkornoo violated Ghanaians’ human rights by endorsing this book, which resulted in the seizure of state resources and the looting of the state amid a collapsed economy, ruined businesses, investments, and a GHC 763 billion national debt, leaving state institutions in bankruptcy.
Gertrude Torkornoo is displaying her true nature as a criminal by exploiting the legal system as a hiding place. She instantly lied by saying that those removing her from office were abusing her human rights, which is illogical, out of a sense of loss and fear of losing the position. Torkornoo’s case is moot because the ECOWAS court has no authority to decide Ghanaians’ futures or impose a criminal judge as chief justice on Ghanaians. Mahama is not a dictator to go against the will of the people.
Gertrude Torkornoo will finally come to the realization that she is still at the same place she began, regardless of how hard she tries to save her job. Whether she files a complaint at the ECOWAS court or at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, she will either resign or be shamefully sacked.
