Gertrude Torkornoo drags state to court over ‘unlawful’ denial of benefits
Former Chief Justice of Ghana, Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, has filed a judicial review application at the High Court in Accra, challenging what she describes as the unlawful denial of her salary, benefits, and entitlements following her removal from office.
Filed on October 16, 2025, the application seeks an order restraining the government from withholding her accrued entitlements before the issuance of the presidential warrant that removed her from office on September 1, 2025.
Her legal team argues that she is “lawfully entitled to all benefits and courtesies of her office up to the date of removal” and that any decision to deny these is unconstitutional.
Justice Torkornoo is also asking the court to:
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Quash the findings and proceedings of the committee that recommended her removal,
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Nullify the presidential warrant, and
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Halt the ongoing process to appoint a new Chief Justice.
President John Mahama removed Justice Torkornoo from office after a committee chaired by Justice Gabriel Pwamang found her guilty of misconduct under Article 146 of the Constitution.
But in her suit, the former Chief Justice insists the findings were “unfair, unconstitutional, and based on false premises,” adding that the process breached her rights to natural justice. She maintains that:
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Expenses cited as misconduct were authorised by Judicial Service officials, not by her personally,
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Her decisions on judge transfers and appointments were within her constitutional powers, and
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The entire process was procedurally flawed.
The Attorney-General is named as the respondent in the case, with formal notice also served on the President.
The High Court has not yet fixed a date for hearing.
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