Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah
Suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has accused the committee probing her removal of subjecting her legal team to a “blind process,” likening their experience to that of the biblical magicians forced to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar’s undisclosed dream.
Addressing the press on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, she described the Article 146 proceedings as unconstitutional, secretive, and fundamentally flawed.
She argued that her lawyers have been denied access to the original petitions, the President’s prima facie determination, and other critical documents—yet are expected to cross-examine witnesses and mount a defence.
“Like Nebuchadnezzar’s situation, in which he demanded that the magicians in his court tell him his dream and also interpret it, my lawyers are left to guess which allegations in the petitions are the subject matter of the testimonies being given,” she said.
Justice Torkornoo lamented that since the hearing began on May 23, 2025, the committee has refused to provide her with the documents that triggered the inquiry.
“The petitioners are not testifying, they are not being cross-examined, yet they are allowed to issue subpoenas. This is not law. This is something else,” she said, raising concerns over the committee’s procedures.
She also criticised the application of litigation-style rules under CI 47 instead of the established inquiry procedures outlined in CI 65, and questioned the choice of venue—the Adu Lodge—which she noted carries symbolic weight due to its historical association with the murder of judges.
“These proceedings are not just irregular; they are unprecedented,” she declared. “This is a model of injustice I would never have thought possible had I not experienced it.”
She confirmed that her legal team has filed for a judicial review at the High Court, seeking to annul the entire process.
“This total absence of compliance with all known rules of fair hearing cannot stand. It is not just about me; it is about the future of every judge and every public official protected by the Constitution,” she lamented.
Following the determination of a prima facie case in the three petitions seeking her removal, President John Dramani Mahama suspended her and established a five-member committee to inquire into the allegations.
The Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed her application for an interlocutory injunction against the committee. Additionally, the Court struck out a supplementary affidavit filed by Justice Torkornoo, ruling that it disclosed confidential information that should have remained sealed in accordance with Article 146 of the
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