President John Dramani Mahama has responded to Chief Justice (CJ) Gertrude Torkornoo following her request for the three petitions seeking her removal from office.
The President’s response comes after the Chief Justice formally wrote to the statesman, requesting copies of the petitions submitted for her removal.
In a letter dated March 28 and signed by the Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama, detailed 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.
