A leading governance expert has called for criminal prosecution of Ghana’s former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, saying her misuse of public funds would warrant imprisonment in other jurisdictions after President John Mahama dismissed her from office.
President John Dramani Mahama removed Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo from office on September 1, 2025, hours after receiving a committee report that found her guilty of stated misbehavior. The dismissal marks the first time a sitting chief justice has been investigated and removed from Ghana’s highest judicial position.
Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, expressed outrage over Torkornoo’s actions during an interview on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue program. “She was the head of the judiciary; she knows the law. In other countries, she would have been in jail by now,” Cudjoe stated, emphasizing that political considerations should not overshadow accountability.
The Article 146 Committee’s investigation revealed that Torkornoo unlawfully used public funds for personal family trips in September 2023. She improperly charged the Judicial Service for two separate journeys – one to Tanzania with her husband and another to the United States with her daughter. Committee findings showed per diem allowances were also paid to her family members, actions deemed unlawful and unjustifiable under existing law and policy.
Cudjoe dismissed defenses that Torkornoo lacked proper guidance from finance officers. “The argument that she should have been guided by a finance officer, because she didn’t know, is neither here nor there,” he said, noting that she obtained an imprest she was not supposed to spend for personal purposes.
Torkornoo served as Ghana’s 15th Chief Justice from June 12, 2023, until her dismissal, making her tenure less than two years. Chief justices in Ghana enjoy security of tenure and can only be removed on grounds including incompetence and misbehavior.
The constitutional process began in April 2025 when President Mahama suspended Torkornoo after establishing a prima facie case against her. The five-member committee, chaired by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, conducted extensive investigations involving 25 witnesses, eight lawyers, and produced a 1,000-page report before recommending her removal.
The case has drawn significant public attention as it represents unprecedented accountability measures against Ghana’s highest judicial officer. Critics argue the removal demonstrates that no office holder, regardless of position, remains above the law when public resources are misused.
Torkornoo’s dismissal comes amid broader discussions about judicial integrity and public financial management in Ghana. The former chief justice had previously faced scrutiny over various administrative decisions during her brief tenure, though the financial misconduct charges ultimately led to her removal.
The opposition New Patriotic Party had condemned the investigation process in April, though the committee’s findings appear to have substantiated the allegations against Torkornoo. Her removal creates a vacancy at the apex of Ghana’s judiciary that President Mahama must now fill through constitutional procedures.
International media coverage of the dismissal has highlighted Ghana’s commitment to institutional accountability, with observers noting the significance of holding even the country’s top judicial officer responsible for financial impropriety.
The case sets a precedent for future oversight of high-ranking officials and reinforces constitutional mechanisms for addressing misconduct in public office. Cudjoe’s call for criminal prosecution suggests civil society groups may push for further legal action beyond the administrative removal.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
