The ECOWAS Court of Justice has turned down an application by former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, who had requested interim orders to pause the work of the committee that probed her removal from office.
Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai, announcing the outcome on Facebook, explained that the request “did not satisfy the criteria for a grant of interim measures.”
He added that, “The Applicant’s own conduct defeats her claim of imminent and irreparable harm. The Court is, therefore, satisfied that the Applicant has not demonstrated the existence of an imminent or exceptional circumstance that will justify the urgency of the application filed almost three months after the act complained of,” highlighting the court’s reasoning.
The decision, delivered on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, follows Justice Torkornoo’s attempt to secure temporary restrictions against the committee led by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang. She had sought to stop the panel from continuing its investigation into events that culminated in her removal and the appointment of Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.
Although the court accepted that her petition presented a prima facie case involving alleged human rights breaches, it concluded that she did not prove the urgency needed for interim relief. The judges pointed out that she filed the application almost three months after her suspension on April 22, 2025 — a delay they said weakened her argument of imminent harm.
The Court also dismissed a preliminary objection by the Government of Ghana, which claimed the regional court could not hear the matter because similar issues were being handled in Ghanaian courts. The panel called this argument “misplaced,” noting that the sub judice rule applies only where a case is pending a final judgment, not simply because another case has related facts.
With the ruling delivered, the court has accepted the main application, and the Attorney General has been instructed to submit a formal response.
Source: ameyawdebrah.com/
