Committee probing Chief Justice Torkonoo begins hearings today

The five-member committee tasked with investigating allegations against suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo begins its formal hearings today, Thursday, May 15, 2025.

The committee, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, was established by President John Dramani Mahama in line with Article 146(6) of the 1992 Constitution, following due consultation with the Council of State. Its formation followed the determination of a prima facie case against the Chief Justice.

The inquiry marks a significant step in the unfolding process, as the committee begins examining the petitions that led to Justice Torkonoo’s suspension from office.

However, questions have emerged about the timing of her suspension. Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, Effia MP Isaac Boamah-Nyarko criticized the decision to suspend the Chief Justice nearly three weeks before the committee had even commenced its work. He also raised concerns about the lack of a clear timeline for the proceedings.

The committee is expected to delve into the substance of the allegations in the coming days, but no official duration has been set for its work.

“If you check, the last time the president suspended the chief justice was on April 22, 2025, and that is close to about three weeks. My question is, if the committee that has been set up would require more than three weeks to start sitting, why then did you suspend the chief justice?

“Three weeks later, and you are now telling us that the committee is coming to start sitting? Then, you tell us the committee should submit their report after completing their work. Which committee is set up without a timeline? When you set up a committee, you give the committee a timeline,” he stated.