Renowned legal luminary and former Director of the Ghana School of Law, Kwaku Ansah-Asare, has called on the suspended Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, to apologise for what he describes as an unacceptable display of disrespect towards President John Dramani Mahama.
Speaking on TV3, Ansah-Asare expressed concern over recent remarks made by the Torkornoo in response to her suspension and possible removal as the chief justice of the Supreme Court.
According to him, Torkornoo’s reaction lacked the temperament, decorum, and institutional maturity expected from the head of the Judiciary—particularly when addressing a Head of State.
Ansah-Asare said “She (Torkornoo) must apologise to the nation for disrespecting the President. The press conference was disrespectful” adding that as far as the implementation of Article 146 is concerned, the President’s hands are tied.
“She as Chief Justice knows that the President has no option after receiving the petition than to act. She swore the President into office and he said after her that, ‘I shall respect the constitution.’ So what does he expect him to do?” he asked.
“She must apologise, What she did was in utter betrayal of the constitution she swore to uphold,” he added.
Sackey Torkornoo vowed to fight her removal, insisting she will not resign and thereby legitimize what she describes as a fundamentally flawed and dangerous process initiated by President John Dramani Mahama.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, she defended her integrity and professional record, citing constitutional and legal protections that she says have been ignored throughout the removal proceedings.
She referenced Supreme Court precedent (J6/02/2019), which bars judges from resigning while removal proceedings are underway, emphasizing that stepping down would amount to endorsing a breach of the rule of law.
“Behind me stands every judge in this country. Behind me stands every commissioner of an independent constitutional body. If this model of removal can be applied to the Chief Justice, it can be used against anyone,” she warned, describing the implications as a direct threat to judicial independence.
Citing Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, which provides that judges and other key officials may only be removed for “stated misbehavior or inability to perform their functions,” Torkornoo argued that the threshold has not been met.
She described the current process as a “perversion of law” and accused its proponents of manipulating legal frameworks to achieve political goals.
“This process is a carefully staged attempt to oust me. Every step violates the rules of natural justice and undermines how justice is supposed to be delivered in our republic,” she said.
