The National Coordinator for the District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP), Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, says former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo has every right to seek redress in court following her removal as a Justice of the Supreme Court by President John Dramani Mahama.
Justice Torkornoo has filed an application for judicial review at the High Court, challenging the legality of her removal. The former Chief Justice is seeking multiple declarations that the President acted outside the powers granted by the 1992 Constitution when he issued a removal warrant on September 1, 2025, stripping her of both the office of Chief Justice and her position as a Justice of the Superior Court of Judicature.
Mr. Vanderpuye acknowledged that while the decision may be difficult, there was no wrongdoing by President Mahama.
“Certain things will happen to give any dynamic society the opportunity to reform, and that will build a much stronger, enduring environment for the future generation. It may be sad that it is she who is going through this, but that is a sacrifice you have to pay by being a servant of the law,” he said.
“With all the work she has done, if this is the way she is going to contribute to the reform within our judicial system, then it is painful, but then we have to accept it. I just want us to understand one thing here: the executive has not done anything wrong as far as this whole process is concerned.
“It is an opportunity that has been offered to us by which we can say that ‘let’s develop laws and systems that will make it difficult for anyone to bring up such a petition to remove a Supreme Court judge.’ On the issue itself, I will say it is within her right to go for a review.”
President Mahama, in a statement dated September 1, 2025, announced Justice Torkornoo’s removal under Article 146(9) of the 1992 Constitution.
The decision followed the recommendation of a committee established under Article 146(6) to investigate a petition filed by a citizen, Mr. Daniel Ofori.
