CJ removal: Mahama submits details of 3 petitions to CJ

President John Mahama has provided to the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, details of the three petitions that seek her removal from office.

In a letter dated March 28 and sighted by 3news, the Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama, wrote as follows:

 1.His Excellency has received three petitions from three individuals requesting your removal as Chief Justice. Two are dated 14th February 2025, and the third is dated 17th March 2025. Copies of the three petitions are attached.

2. Following receipt of these petitions, on 24th March 2025, His Excellency wrote to the Chairman of the Council of State forwarding the petitions and informing Council that, in accordance with the consultation process required under Article 146(6), he intends, as an initial step, to send the petitions to you for your preliminary comments or response.

3. On 27th March 2025, His Excellency received responses from the Chairman of the Council of State consenting to this request. Copies of these letters are also attached.

4. Upon receipt of the petitions, His Excellency was advised that per Frank Agyei Twum v Attorney General and Bright Akwetey 12005-2006] SCGLR 732, the confidentiality attached to proceedings under Article 146 also extends to documents and other relevant material employed in the proceedings.

5. His Excellency, however, notes with disappointment that your letter of 27th March 2025 addressed to him was circulating on social media even before he could review its contents. The letter was reportedly shared as an attachment to another letter you wrote to the President of the Supreme Court, the President of the Association of Magistrates and Judges and the President of the Ghana Bar Association. Therefore, we are constrained to mark each page of the attachments to this letter “restricted”.

6. Finally, His Excellency wishes to assure you that due process will be followed in handling this matter and that you will be given a full and fair opportunity to be heard. Accordingly, you are respectfully requested to submit your preliminary response to the petitions within ten (10) days of receipt of this letter to facilitate further consultation between His Excellency and the Council of State.

It would be recalled the Chief Justice formally wrote to President Mahama requesting copies of the petitions which were submitted for her removal from office.

In a letter addressed to the President and members of the Council of State on March 27, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Torkonoo asked the President to grant her seven days to review the petition upon receiving copies to allow her to respond appropriately before a Committee of Inquiry is set up to look into the petition.

“I am by this letter humbly and respectfully asking His Excellency the President and eminent members of the Council of State to forward the petition against me to me, and allow me at least seven days after receipt of same, to provide my response to you, which response can then form part of the material that you conduct the consultations anticipated under 146 (6) before the possible setting up of a Committee of Inquiry under article 146(7),” the Chief Justice said in her letter.

The Chief Justice’s response comes two days after President Mahama forwarded three petitions calling for the removal of the Chief Justice to the Council of State for further action.

The Chief Justice in responding to the issue said two days after the action taken by the President, she has not seen or been given copies of the petition which has been sent to the Council of State and expected to form the premise for her removal from office.

But in response, the Executive Secretary to the President, Calistus Mahama said “His Excellency has received three petitions from three individuals requesting your removal as Chief Justice. Two are dated 14th February 2025, and the third is dated 17th March 2025. Copies of the three petitions are attached.

Following receipt of these petitions, on 24th March 2025, His Excellency wrote to the Chairman of the Council of State forwarding the petitions and informing Council that, in accordance with the consultation process required under Article 146(6), he intends, as an initial step, to send the petitions to you for your preliminary comments or response. On 27th March 2025, His Excellency received responses from the Chairman of the Council of State consenting to this request. Copies of these letters are also attached.

“Upon receipt of the petitions, His Excellency was advised that per Frank Agyei ceipt of the peti Twum v Attorney General and Bright Akwetey [2005-2006] SCGLR 732, the confidentiality attached to proceedings under Article 146 also extends to documents and other relevant material employed in the proceedings.”

The letter added “His Excellency, however, notes with disappointment that your letter of 27th March 2025 addressed to him was circulating on social media even before he could review its contents. The letter was reportedly shared as an attachment to another letter you wrote to the President of the Supreme Court, the President of the Association of Magistrates and Judges and the President of the Ghana Bar Association. Therefore, we are constrained to mark each page of the attachments to this letter ‘restricted’.

“Finally, His Excellency wishes to assure you that due process will be followed in handling this matter and that you will be given a full and fair opportunity to be heard. Accordingly, you are respectfully requested to submit your preliminary response to the petitions within ten (10) days of receipt of this letter to facilitate further consultation between His Excellency and the Council of State.”