Convention People’s Party member and legal practitioner Kwame Jantuah has challenged Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo’s decision to seek Supreme Court intervention in her suspension case, arguing the move violates constitutional protocol.
Speaking on Asaase Radio’s The Forum, Jantuah contended the Chief Justice should have petitioned President Mahama directly, as the constitution empowers the executive – not the judiciary – to handle such suspensions under Article 146(10). “Was it the Supreme Court that suspended her?” Jantuah questioned, warning the legal approach risks reinforcing perceptions of judicial favoritism toward powerful figures.
The Chief Justice’s May 21 filing seeks to halt a five-member committee probing removal petitions against her, while challenging the participation of two Supreme Court justices and the suspension order itself. Jantuah maintains the process must proceed transparently to uphold public trust, noting: “If her evidence is strong, nobody can remove her. But politicizing this matter only deepens mistrust.”
The controversy highlights growing tensions between Ghana’s judicial and executive branches, with critics arguing the Chief Justice’s legal strategy could set problematic precedents for constitutional governance.
