President John Mahama has officially given Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo 10 days to submit a preliminary response to three petitions demanding her removal from office.
The directive, contained in a letter signed by Callistus Mahama, Secretary to the President, follows petitions submitted by three individuals on February 14 and March 17, 2025, alleging misconduct and abuse of power.
According to the letter, President Mahama had initially written to Doe Adjaho, Chairman of the Council of State, on March 24, 2025, forwarding the petitions for consultation, as required under Article 146(6) of the Constitution. The Council of State consented to this process on March 27, 2025, after which the petitions were sent to the Chief Justice for her comments.
However, the President also raised concerns over a leaked letter from Chief Justice Torkonoo, dated March 27, 2025, which was circulated on social media before he had the chance to review it.
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The letter was reportedly shared along with another letter addressed to the President of the Supreme Court, the President of the Association of Magistrates and Judges, and the President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA).
In response to the leak, the President’s office has marked all attached documents as “restricted.” Despite this, President Mahama assured the Chief Justice that due process would be followed and that she would be granted a fair opportunity to respond.
The CJ’s response is expected to facilitate further consultations between the President and the Council of State as the legal process unfolds.
