Dep. A-G defends CJ Torkornoo’s ouster amidst backlash
Removal of Chief Justice Torkornoo Was 'Fair and Legal' - Justice Srem-Sai
Elohim Nyame 
The Office of the Attorney-General has rejected accusations that the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo was carried out unfairly.
In a pre-recorded interview with TV3, Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem Sai maintained that the process strictly adhered to constitutional requirements. His comments come in response to concerns raised by former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo, who on 3 September told TV3's Joseph Ackah-Blay that Justice Torkornoo was not given a fair trial.
Akuffo, who currently serves on the Council of State, said the allegations against Torkornoo lacked sufficient weight to justify her removal, calling the process questionable.
But Srem Sai defended the process, stating, “Every aspect of the process has been tested in the court and the conclusion has been the same — it complies with the Constitution. That is the essence of the rule of law.”
He added that the Attorney-General’s office considers the process “fair, reasonable and legal.”
Justice Torkornoo was removed from office on 1 September 2025 by President John Dramani Mahama. The removal followed the recommendations of a five-member committee constituted under Article 146(6) of the 1992 Constitution, which investigated three separate petitions alleging stated misbehaviour.
The committee, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, included former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo, GAF’s Major Flora Bazaanura Dalugo, and Professor James Sefah Dzisah of the University of Ghana. The committee conducted its work in camera and presented its findings to the President after months of inquiry.
The President’s decision was formally communicated in a statement by the Minister of Government Communications, citing Article 146(9), which obliges the President to act according to the committee's recommendation once a prima facie case has been established and substantiated.
Justice Torkornoo had been on suspension since 22 April 2025, following the establishment of a prima facie case.
Commenting on Torkornoo’s ongoing legal challenge at the ECOWAS Court, the Deputy Attorney-General expressed confidence in Ghana’s judicial processes.
“I believe the outcome would not be different from what the courts of Ghana had already determined,” he said.
The controversy has stirred national debate, with legal experts and civil society weighing in on the implications for judicial independence and accountability.
