Justice Srem-Sai, the Deputy Attorney General, has revealed that the suspended Chief Justice of Ghana, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, has filed another case at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria.
The Suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo’s new case filed at the ECOWAS Community Court alleges human rights violations in the ongoing removal process.
In a post on X on Tuesday, July 8, Justice Srem-Sai wrote, “I can confirm that the Chief Justice – Her Ladyship, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo – has filed another court case – this time, at the ECOWAS Community Court in Abuja, Nigeria, against the Republic.
In the case, which was filed on July 4, Her Ladyship repeated the same allegations of human rights violations which are currently pending determination before our Supreme Court and, also, before our High Court in respect of the ongoing removal processes.
Essentially, Her Ladyship argues that by her suspension, she “has effectively been removed from her official capacity without a final determination, impairing her right to function and serve in a position she was constitutionally appointed to.”
In her lawsuit, Justice Torkornoo accused President John Dramani Mahama of failing to specify the claims in the petitions for her removal.
According to the details of the lawsuit, suspended Justice Torkornoo is seeking ten reliefs from the ECOWAS Court, including a $10 million compensation for moral and reputational damages suffered by the Applicant as a result of her illegal suspension and unfair investigation.
Also, a declaration that the suspension of the Applicant (Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo) as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana by the President of the Respondent State on 22 April 2025 violated the Applicant’s human right to a fair hearing guaranteed by Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Below are all the reliefs:
“1. A declaration that the suspension of the Applicant (Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo) as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana by the President of the Respondent State on 22 April 2025 violated the Applicant’s human right to a fair hearing guaranteed by Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
- A declaration that the panel instituted by the Respondent (Ghana) to investigate and determine the allegations of misconduct against the Applicant was not constituted to guarantee its independence and impartiality and, as such, has violated the Applicant’s human right to a fair hearing guaranteed by Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
- A declaration that the purported suspension of the Applicant as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana by the President of the Respondent State on 22 April 2025 constitutes a violation of her human right to fair, equitable and satisfactory conditions of work guaranteed by Article 15 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
- A declaration that the purported suspension of the Applicant as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana by the President of the Respondent State on 22 April 2025 has exposed her to public ridicule and odium, locally and internationally, and that the said act constitutes a violation of her human right to dignity guaranteed by Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
- A declaration that, by subjecting the Applicant to an illegal and unfair investigation and trial since April 2025, the Respondent has inflicted injuries on her professional standing and image, thereby exposing her and her family to immeasurable public ridicule.
- An order to the Respondent Republic to act immediately to prescribe the rules of procedure to govern the investigation of allegations of misconduct against the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana in conformity with the right to a fair hearing guaranteed by the Constitution of Ghana and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
- An order directing the Respondent to lift the suspension immediately and restore the Applicant to full office until the conclusion of fair constitutional proceedings.
- An order restraining the Respondent from continuing with the purported inquiry for the removal of the Applicant as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, in its current form, until it conforms to fair‑hearing guarantees.
- An award of $10 million as compensation for moral and reputational damages suffered by the Applicant as a result of her illegal suspension and unfair investigation.
- Any other relief(s) as the Honourable Court deems just”.
See the post below:
Suspended CJ Torkornoo has the right to go to ECOWAS Court… – Prof. Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua (International Law Expert) #GHOneNews #EIBNetwork #GHOneTV #NewsAlert pic.twitter.com/JLAPcYeXHW
— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) July 10, 2025
