Alfred Ababio Kumi, a Ghanaian citizen, has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to dissolve the five-member committee established to investigate requests for the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
According to the petition, the integrity and credibility of the ongoing investigation are compromised due to alleged grave violations of judicial conduct by members of the committee.
Addressed to the President and dated shortly after the committee’s inaugural meeting on May 15, 2025, Mr. Kumi raised serious concerns over what he described as a compromising meeting between Justices Gabriel Pwamang and Samuel Adibu-Asiedu, both members of the committee, and Thaddeus Sory, a lawyer representing one of the petitioners.
Mr. Kumi claims the meeting, which reportedly took place on the evening of May 15 at Santoku Restaurant in Accra’s Airport Residential Area, was also attended by Supreme Court Justice Yonni Kulendi. He alleges that conversations regarding the petition were overheard during the gathering, constituting a serious conflict of interest and a breach of judicial ethics.
“The meeting between Justices Pwamang, Kulendi, and Asiedu with Thaddeus Sory clearly destroys the integrity of the process and undermines public confidence in the proceedings so far,” the petition states.
Additionally, Mr. Kumi argues that Chief Justice Torkornoo has taken contradictory positions in similar cases, while Justice Pwamang had previously ruled in favor of the petitioner represented by Mr. Sory.
He further alleges that Justices Kulendi, Pwamang, and Adibu-Asiedu are all believed to have expressed interest in the Chief Justice position in the past and were reportedly disappointed by President Akufo-Addo’s appointment of Justice Torkornoo.
“Justice Pwamang is known to be interested in becoming Chief Justice following your election as President… Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu-Asiedu is also on record as having actively lobbied for the Chief Justice position after the exit of Justice Anin Yeboah,” Kumi stated, as reported by citinewsroom.com
Describing the conduct of the judges as “deplorable” and “most unbecoming,” the petitioner contends that their actions jeopardize their ability to fairly adjudicate the matters before them.
The President announced the committee’s composition on April 22, 2025. It consists of the following five members:
Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang – Supreme Court Judge
Justice Samuel Adibu-Asiedu – Supreme Court Judge
Daniel Yao Domelovo – Former Auditor-General
Major Flora Bazwaanura Dalugo – Member of the Ghana Armed Forces
Professor James Sefah Dzisah – Professor, University of Ghana
The committee was formed to investigate three separate petitions calling for the removal of the Chief Justice under Article 146(6) of the 1992 Constitution. Its first meeting was held on May 15.
Mr. Kumi characterized the process as potentially a “sham” and urged President Mahama to take immediate action to safeguard the legitimacy of the constitutional process and preserve public confidence in the judiciary.
As of now, the Office of the President has not officially responded to the petition.
KA
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