Minority condemns Mahama’s suspension of Chief Justice as ‘judicial coup’

• Posted on April 23, 2025April 23, 2025
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Minority has condemned the actions of President John Mahama on the suspension of the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo.

President John Mahama suspended the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo on Tuesday, April 22.

This follows the establishment of a committee to investigate petitions against the top judicial official.

The move, announced in a statement from the Presidency, is in compliance with constitutional provisions and follows consultations with the Council of State.

In a statement issued by the Minority in Parliament, the suspension was denounced as an affront to due process and the rule of law.

According to the statement, the timing of the suspension – while the constitutionality of the process is yet to be determined by the Court demonstrates a reckless disregard for judicial independence.

“This is judicial overreach of the highest order, a textbook case of executive interference,” the statement read.

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It draws comparisons to the 1963 incident when President Kwame Nkrumah dismissed Chief Justice Sir Arku Korsah for ruling against his government.

The Minority insisted that the decision to suspend the Chief Justice represented a deliberate political move rather than a legitimate attempt at accountability, accusing President Mahama of seeking to exert political control over the judiciary.

Political Vendetta or Judicial Reform?

Critics claim that Mahama’s actions align with his controversial statements made in Akosombo in 2023, where he hinted at his intention to “rebalance” the judiciary by appointing judges sympathetic to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The Minority in Parliament called this a politically motivated “witch-hunt” to appoint NDC-aligned judges, further undermining the judiciary’s independence.

“This is neither good governance nor a credible attempt to reset the judiciary – it is tyranny,” the statement continued. “The people of Ghana will not tolerate the subversion of judicial independence for partisan gain.”

Resistance to Further Executive Interference

The statement from the Minority emphasised that any further attempts to harass, intimidate, or unlawfully remove the Chief Justice would face “fierce legal and public resistance.”

The group pledged to challenge any moves to pack the judiciary with politically compliant judges.

“We will not stand idly by while the judiciary is turned into an appendage of the Executive,” they declared.

Call for Reinstatement and Constitutional Upholding

The Minority further called for the immediate reinstatement of Chief Justice Torkornoo, pending the Supreme Court’s ruling on the legal challenges to her suspension.

They also demanded a halt to all proceedings aimed at removing the Chief Justice until the judiciary has conclusively ruled on the constitutionality of the process.

“The integrity of Ghana’s judiciary is non-negotiable,” they stated, pledging to vigorously oppose any attempts to politicise the courts.