Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine has firmly rejected a joint statement issued by the Bar Council of England and Wales (BCEW) and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), which criticised the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
In a detailed response released on August 15, Dr. Ayine stressed that the suspension is entirely in line with Ghana’s Constitution and will remain in place until an independent judicial inquiry concludes. He accused the two international legal bodies of commenting without properly acquainting themselves with the relevant constitutional provisions and facts of the case.
According to the Attorney General, the process was carried out strictly under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, a procedure designed to safeguard judicial independence. The suspension followed three separate petitions filed by Ghanaian citizens alleging “stated misbehaviour and incompetence” on the part of the Chief Justice.
After receiving the petitions, the President referred the matter to the Council of State. Following a review of the submissions and Justice Torkornoo’s response, the Council determined that a prima facie case existed. Consequently, an independent inquiry committee chaired by a Supreme Court Justice was constituted to investigate the claims.
Dr. Ayine noted that attempts by the Chief Justice and her legal team to halt the proceedings through injunctions and judicial review were dismissed by both the Supreme Court and the High Court as “without merit.” The Chief Justice has since taken the matter to the ECOWAS Court, where the Government of Ghana is defending its position.
He further observed that many of the arguments raised in the BCEW and CLA’s joint statement had already been considered and rejected by Ghana’s courts.
Reaffirming the government’s stance, the Attorney General stated that the suspension will remain in force until the inquiry committee completes its work and submits its report. He underscored that, under Article 146, the President is bound by the committee’s findings and cannot override them.
Below is the full response.
