The legal clash between Ghana’s government and former Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo has taken a dramatic turn after the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice rejected an attempt by the Attorney General, Dominic Ayine, to block the case. The regional court, during a virtual sitting on Wednesday, concluded that it has full authority to examine Torkornoo’s allegations of human rights violations arising from her removal from office.
Reports indicate that the Attorney General’s Office had urged the court to decline jurisdiction, insisting that the matter fell outside the ECOWAS Court’s mandate. That argument was dismissed. The panel determined that the issues raised—particularly concerns about the right to a fair hearing—fit squarely within the court’s human rights enforcement powers and therefore must proceed to a full hearing.
Following the ruling, Ghana has been directed to submit its official defence within 30 days.
The virtual session also dealt with another application submitted by the former Chief Justice herself. She had sought temporary relief to halt the removal proceedings, restore her to office, and reinstate all entitlements while her substantive case remained pending. The court, however, turned down that request. According to information shared by Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai, the judges found that the circumstances did not meet the threshold required for emergency protective measures. They reportedly noted that Torkornoo waited several months after her suspension before seeking such relief, undermining her claim of immediate and irreversible harm.
Torkornoo took her legal battle to the ECOWAS Court in Abuja on July 4, 2025, challenging the April 22, 2025 suspension imposed by President John Dramani Mahama. The sanction followed three petitions accusing her of misconduct. In her suit, she argues that the process breached fundamental rights protected under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, including dignity, fair labour conditions, and the right to be heard.
She is asking the court to void the suspension, halt the removal process, and award $10 million in compensation for damage to her reputation and emotional wellbeing. She further contends that the ongoing probe by the Justice Pwamang Committee lacked transparency and fairness.
With the Attorney General’s jurisdictional challenge now dismissed, the case is set to move into a more contentious phase, placing Ghana’s judicial procedures under regional scrutiny.
