“My Lady, Have You Forgotten?” – Thaddeus Sory Dismantles Chief Justice Torkornoo’s Claims in Scathing Legal Rebuttal

Private legal practitioner Thaddeus Sory has sharply criticised suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, describing her recent public address on her removal process as legally flawed, misleading, and unbecoming of the nation’s top judge.

In a viral Facebook post titled “She Said, We Say”, Sory offered a detailed, point-by-point legal rebuttal to Justice Torkornoo’s June 25 press conference, where she raised concerns about constitutional breaches, lack of transparency, and what she called a “grand conspiracy” to oust her from office.

■ Legal Fire Meets Judicial Protest

Sory, known for his courtroom rigor and legal precision, minced no words in questioning the Chief Justice’s grasp of Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, the very clause under which her removal is being pursued.

From her call for public hearings, to her claim of being denied copies of the petition, and allegations of procedural irregularities, Sory meticulously cited relevant case law—including Justice Dery v Tiger Eye PI, Agyei Twum v Attorney General, and Ghana Bar Association v A-G—to argue that Justice Torkornoo should have known better.

■ “Does She Not Remember?” – Sory Cites Past Precedents

Refuting the Chief Justice’s call for a public hearing, Sory questioned how a legal figure of her stature could ignore existing rulings affirming that Article 146 proceedings must be held in camera. He further slammed her comparison of the proceedings to courtroom trials, pointing out that such removals are “inquisitorial, not judicial in nature.”

Regarding her complaint about not receiving copies of the petitions, he asked bluntly: “What did she respond to that resulted in the prima facie determinations?”

Sory even drew parallels with past removal cases, such as that of Charlotte Osei, reminding the public that some petitioners in that instance were deceased, yet the process was deemed valid.

■ A Damning Conclusion: “Should We Trust Her?”

The most biting critique came in Sory’s conclusion, where he questioned the Chief Justice’s depth of legal understanding and suitability to uphold Ghana’s democracy.

“If a Chief Justice does not even know that the Agyei Twum case said that in proceedings for the removal of the Chief Justice no locus standi is necessary, should we trust that she is the person to protect our democracy?” he wrote.

“Your suggestion that without you there can be no justice,” Sory added, “is betrayed by your own statement.”

■ Political Undertones and a Nation Divided

While some see Torkornoo’s address as a bold defense of judicial independence, Sory’s blistering rebuttal has added fuel to a growing legal and political storm, with calls for calm, constitutional fidelity, and less public theatre.

As the Article 146 Committee continues its work behind closed doors, Ghanaians remain sharply divided between those who see the Chief Justice as a victim of political persecution, and others, like Sory, who argue she is misrepresenting the law and her role in Ghana’s justice system.