Adoa News Adoa News
Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has accused Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie of being part of what he describes as a “grand conspiracy” that led to the removal of his predecessor, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
According to the Effutu MP, some Supreme Court judges, including Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, deliberately worked against Justice Torkornoo in an alleged attempt to pave the way for a change in leadership of the Judiciary.
Speaking on Atinka TV on Monday, August 17, Mr Afenyo-Markin alleged that the petition that triggered the removal process was part of a broader effort to force Justice Torkornoo out of office.
“It was a grand conspiracy. I have said so, and I have not minced words on that. My Lord Baffoe-Bonnie was part of the grand conspiracy against his predecessor, Gertrude Torkornoo,” he said.
He further alleged that Justice Baffoe-Bonnie and other Supreme Court judges who opposed Justice Torkornoo had personal interests in the leadership of the Judiciary.
Mr Afenyo-Markin also suggested that Justice Torkornoo could be reinstated if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) returns to power.
“If the NPP comes to power, I don’t know why she won’t be reinstated. Of course, she will be reinstated,” he stated.
Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was appointed Chief Justice in June 2023 and became the first Chief Justice under Ghana’s Fourth Republic to be removed from office.
Her removal followed a petition submitted to President John Dramani Mahama and a subsequent process under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, which sets out the procedure for the removal of superior court judges.
The process and eventual removal of Justice Torkornoo have sparked public debate, with concerns raised by sections of the legal community and civil society over the fairness and transparency of the proceedings.