The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected claims that the dismissal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was politically orchestrated by the current administration.
Presidential staffer and private legal practitioner Beatrice Annangfio clarified that the petition which triggered Justice Torkornoo’s removal stemmed from a longstanding legal dispute between businessman Daniel Ofori and the former Chief Justice, dating back several years before the NDC returned to power.
Justice Torkornoo was dismissed on September 1, 2025, by President John Dramani Mahama, acting on the recommendation of an Article 146 Committee. The decision immediately drew criticism from opposition voices, who alleged it was a fulfilment of a political campaign promise.
Speaking on Channel One TV on Saturday, September 6, Mrs Annangfio disputed the claims, stressing that the matter was rooted in Mr Ofori’s extended litigation history with Justice Torkornoo.
“The petitioner, Daniel Ofori, is not new to the removed CJ. He is one of the richest businessmen in Ghana and a frequent litigant. He had issues with Madam Gertrude Torkornoo even when she was a High Court judge,” she explained.
According to her, Mr Ofori’s long-running legal battles with Ecobank saw cases travel through the courts up to the Supreme Court, including a review. Justice Torkornoo, in one ruling, decided against him, a decision which, Annangfio said, later formed the basis of his petition.
“Daniel Ofori later argued that given their history and certain comments made by Justice Torkornoo in other cases, she was likely to be biased against him in any future matter involving Ecobank,” she added.
Mrs Annangfio insisted it was misleading to attribute the Chief Justice’s removal to partisan motives. “It cannot be that the NDC came to power, and within four months, it was on our agenda to remove the Chief Justice,” she said, emphasising that the administration acted in line with the constitutional requirement to follow the Article 146 Committee’s recommendation.
Meanwhile, critics—including former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo and former Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah—have described the dismissal as an “unholy assault” on judicial independence, arguing that the allegations against Justice Torkornoo did not warrant such a severe outcome.
The controversy has deepened political and legal divisions, with the removal continuing to spark nationwide debate.
