Stop Baffoe-Bonie’s appointment and vetting as new CJ — Justice Torkonoo files fresh suit

Former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkonoo has filed an application at the High Court in Accra seeking to halt the consideration and appointment of His Lordship Paul Baffoe-Bonie as the new substantive Chief Justice.

In her application for judicial review filed on Thursday, October 16, the former Chief Justice is asking the court to quash the recommendations of the Justice Gabriel Pwamang-led committee, which investigated petitions for her removal from office.

She argues that the committee’s findings, which led to her removal from office, were unconstitutional, unfair, and marred by procedural irregularities.

“An order prohibiting the consideration and appointment of a new substantive Chief Justice of Ghana,” the application stated in part.

It added that the findings of the committee “blatantly violate relevant provisions of the 1992 Constitution and are therefore unconstitutional and illegal.”

The application, filed through her lawyer, Kwabena Adu-Kusi, also seeks an order of certiorari to quash the presidential warrant dated September 1, which announced her removal from office as Chief Justice and Justice of the Supreme Court.

Justice Torkonoo further contends that the committee’s recommendation for her removal was based on flawed reasoning and unsupported claims of misconduct.

“The findings and recommendations of the said Committee constitute an abuse of power and are therefore unfair and illegal and breach the legitimate expectation raised in the Applicant by the terms of appointment of the Applicant as Chief Justice of the Republic, the Travel Policy for the Chief Justice and Superior Court Justices, set by the Judicial Council since 2010 and the practice of the Judicial Service since 2010,” the court documents said in part.

Justice Gertrude Torkonoo was removed as Chief Justice and Justice of the Supreme Court by President John Mahama following a five-member committee’s inquiry into a petition against her.

The committee cited unlawful expenditure of public funds, abuse of discretionary power, and interference in judicial appointments as grounds for her removal.

She has since filed numerous actions against her removal including earlier ones challenging the entire process that led to her removal.