Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has sharply criticised the committee that recommended the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, describing the process as a “travesty of justice.”

According to him, the decision to remove Justice Torkornoo was executed in a manner that violated constitutional procedures and undermined principles of transparency and fairness.

“It is our [minority] contention that the removal of Torkornoo didn’t adhere to any constitutional procedure. Never should any Ghanaian suffer such a fate. The removal of Torkornoo was cloaked in unacceptably opaque circumstances,” Afenyo-Markin said.

The Minority Leader argued that the process lacked due process and accountability, warning that such actions set a dangerous precedent for Ghana’s democratic and judicial integrity.

Justice Torkornoo, appointed as Chief Justice in June 2023, became the first head of the judiciary to be removed from office under Ghana’s Fourth Republic. Her dismissal followed a petition to President John Dramani Mahama and a recommendation by a special committee established under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.

The decision has since sparked widespread debate, with sections of the legal community and civil society raising concerns about the fairness and transparency of the proceedings.

Afenyo-Markin’s remarks come as Parliament’s Appointments Committee vets Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, nominated to succeed Justice Torkornoo as Chief Justice.