'She Did Not Get a Fair Trial' - Sophia Akuffo Condemns Torkornoo's Removal
Accra,Ghana ,September 2,2025 - Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has come to the defense of Gertrude Torkornoo, asserting that the allegations against her lacked gravity and substance, making her removal from office unjustified. Sophia Akuffo criticized the process, stating it was handled like a treason trial despite not being a formal trial, and expressed concerns about the long-term implications for the judiciary's integrity and independence.
According to Akuffo, Torkornoo did not receive a fair hearing in the process leading to her removal.
She expressed concerns over the long-term implications for the judiciary, stating that Torkornoo's removal has weakened the institution. She lamented the procedural "rigmarole" that accompanied the dismissal, describing it as unworthy of any judge, let alone a Chief Justice. "She did not get a fair trial. Even though it is not a trial strictly speaking, it was handled as though it were one for treason," Akuffo stated in a conversation with TV3 which was monitored by Lead News Online.
Akuffo emphasized that the allegations against Torkornoo lacked the gravity that would lead to such a grave outcome as removal from office. "These allegations lack the gravity that should lead to such a grave outcome. I pray that no Chief Justice or judge ever has to go through this process again," she added.
It's worth noting that Akuffo is not alone in her criticism. Other eminent jurists, including former Chief Justices Kwasi Anin Yeboah and Jones Dotse, as well as constitutional law expert Nana Dr. S.K.B. Asante, have also defended Torkornoo. They testified before the Article 146 Committee, arguing that the administrative functions under scrutiny were routine responsibilities of the office.
The removal of Torkornoo has sparked mixed reactions, with some sections of the public condemning it as an assault on the judiciary, while others insist that the process was constitutional. The development has raised concerns about the independence and integrity of the judiciary, with many hoping that no Chief Justice or judge will have to go through a similar ordeal in the future.
Justice Torkonoo was removed from office by President John Dramani Mahama, following the submission of a report by a special committee established to investigate multiple petitions against her. The committee, chaired by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, found that the grounds of stated misbehavior under Article 146(1) of the 1992 Constitution had been established, warranting her removal.
Source - Lead News Online/Leticia Okpoti
