Mahama receives report on first petition against chief Justice Torkornoo

The Chairman of the Article 146 Committee of Inquiry, Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, has formally presented the committee’s first report on petitions seeking the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo to President John Dramani Mahama at the Jubilee House.

Addressing the President during the presentation, Justice Pwamang recalled that in March this year, multiple petitions were submitted under the 1992 Constitution calling for the removal of the Chief Justice. He explained that the petitions, though seeking the same relief, were treated as distinct and assessed on their individual merits.

The committee, constituted under Article 146(6) of the Constitution, commenced its work on May 15, 2025. Its mandate, as set out in Article 146(7) and (8), was to conduct the inquiry in camera, allowing the Chief Justice to defend herself personally or through legal representation.

According to Justice Pwamang, in a video published by ChannelOne TV, the first petition was supported by testimony from 13 witnesses presented by petitioner Daniel Ofori and his legal team, while the Chief Justice mounted her defense with 12 witnesses, including expert testimony. The Chief Justice herself appeared before the committee and was cross-examined.

In all, the committee reviewed close to 10,000 pages of documentary evidence submitted by both sides, with four lawyers representing the petitioner and another four representing the Chief Justice.

“After critical examination and assessment of all the evidence, including the expert evidence, against the provisions of the Constitution and the relevant laws, we have, without fear or favor, arrived at a recommendation on the first petition,” Justice Pwamang stated, before handing over the committee’s sealed recommendation to President Mahama.

He emphasized that while the proceedings were held in camera, they were not secret, and the public would be duly informed of the outcome in accordance with constitutional requirements.

The submission of the report has attracted considerable national and international attention, as it marks a significant step in the constitutional process triggered by the petitions against the Chief Justice.