Kwesi Pratt reacts to President Mahama’s removal of CJ Torkornoo

Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr has reacted to the dismissal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo by President John Dramani Mahama.

In a social media post shared on September 2, 2025, Pratt described the development as proof that Ghana was “living in very interesting times,” given the circumstances surrounding the Chief Justice’s removal.

He argued that President Mahama would have been accused of plotting a third-term bid if he had not categorically ruled out contesting the 2028 elections.

“Can you just imagine what would have been said if President John Dramani Mahama had not said emphatically that he will not be on the ballot for the 2028 elections?

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“Well, I can bet my last pesewa that his opponents would have said that the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo from office is meant to pave the way for the amendment of the 1992 Constitution to enable him to contest for a third term in office.

“Now, that speculation is dead in the water and arguments for and against the removal of Justice Torkornoo will centre largely on whether or not the action is constitutional,” Pratt wrote.

Pratt, who is the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, stressed that President Mahama had no independent authority to remove the Chief Justice.

He explained that under the 1992 Constitution, the president is bound to act on the recommendations of the five-member committee that investigated the petitions against Justice Torkornoo.

“The point has to be made that the provisions of Article 146 of the Constitution make it clear that the President has no authority to vary the recommendations of the Justice Pwamang Committee.

“To this extent, it may be argued that the decision to remove the Chief Justice from office was not made by the President but by the Committee, which had two Supreme Court judges on it,” he said.

View his post below:

JUST IMAGINE!

Can you just imagine what would have been said if President John Dramani Mahama had not said emphatically that he will not be on the ballot for the 2028 elections?

Well, I can bet my last pesewa that his opponents would have said that the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo from office is meant to pave the way for the amendment of the #1992 constitution to enable him to contest for a third term in office.

Now, that speculation is dead in the water and arguments for and against the removal of Justice Torkornoo will center largely on whether or not the action is constitutional.

The point has to be made that the provisions of Article 146 of the Constitution make it clear that the President has no authority to vary the recommendations of the Justice Pwamang Committee.

To this extent, it may be argued that the decision to remove the Chief Justice from office was not made by the President but by the Committee which had two Supreme Court judges on it.

Justice Pwamang has already disclosed that the Committee examined 10, 000 pages of documentary evidence and the Chief Justice and her accuser were represented by four lawyers each.

Justice Torkonoo personally testified at the Committee and was cross-examined. She called 12 witnesses including expert witnesses as she is entitled to do under the constitution.

The committee also received evidence from the Chief Justice’s accusers, Mr. Daniel Ofori through 13 witnesses.

We are certainly living in very interesting times.

BAI/MA

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