Ghana’s Supreme Court has dismissed two high-profile injunction applications aimed at stopping the impeachment proceedings against suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo. The Court’s decision reaffirms the continuity of the constitutional process initiated by President John Dramani Mahama.
The first injunction application was filed by the Centre for Citizenship, Constitutional and Electoral Systems (CenCES), a civil society organization. The group argued that President Mahama’s decision to suspend Chief Justice Torkornoo violated constitutional protections of judicial independence. CenCES sought to prevent the five-member committee tasked with investigating the petitions from continuing its work.
In a 4–1 majority ruling, the Supreme Court dismissed the CenCES application, stating that it lacked merit and did not justify the halting of a constitutionally mandated process.
In a separate case, private citizen Theodore Kofi Atta-Quartey also filed an injunction seeking to block the committee from proceeding. His application was similarly thrown out by the apex court.
These rulings come as a strong statement from the judiciary, emphasizing the Court’s stance on allowing constitutionally established processes to unfold without interruption.
Chief Justice Files Her Own Injunction
Adding a new dimension to the legal proceedings, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo herself has filed an interlocutory injunction. In her application, she is asking the Court to restrain the committee from further action and to suspend the effect of the presidential warrant issued under Article 146(10) of the 1992 Constitution.
Her move signals a direct challenge to the committee’s mandate and raises new legal questions that the Court is expected to deliberate on in the coming days.
President Mahama suspended Chief Justice Torkornoo following the submission of three petitions alleging misconduct. After consultations with the Council of State, a prima facie case was established, leading to the formation of a five-member committee to investigate the claims.
Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie currently serves as Acting Chief Justice while the inquiry is ongoing.The Supreme Court’s dismissal of the two earlier injunctions underscores its commitment to upholding due process and the integrity of the judiciary. The filing by the Chief Justice herself, however, introduces a new legal battle that could affect both the timeline and the legitimacy of the impeachment proceedings.
