The Supreme Court has struck out a supplementary affidavit filed by the suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, citing procedural irregularities.
On May 26, 2025, Torkornoo submitted a supplementary affidavit in her ongoing legal battle against the committee investigating her removal.
In the latest filing, Torkornoo claims she is being subjected to gross human rights violations, unlawful treatment, and a biased inquiry process.
According to the affidavit, the proceedings related to the three petitions seeking her removal have violated her constitutional right to a fair trial and subjected her to degrading and inhumane treatment.
She said “That I respectfully seek leave of this Honourable Court to bring to the Court’s attention various developments since the filing of the present application, which evidence a complete desecration of my basic constitutional rights to a fair trial, violation of my dignity and subjection to inhuman and degrading treatment, of a kind not meted out to even accused persons on trial for treason and other offences against the State.”
She further highlighted disturbing treatment during the proceedings, including unjustified security searches and restricted access for her family and legal team.
But the Supreme Court struck out a supplementary affidavit and ruled that the contents of the affidavit referred to events that occurred before the committee investigating the petitions for her removal — proceedings which, by law, are expected to be held in camera.
A five-member panel of the court upheld an objection raised by the deputy Attorney General, Justice Srem Sai who argued that the supplementary affidavit violated Article 146(8) of the Constitution. That provision mandates that proceedings concerning the removal of justices be conducted in private.
