Legal practitioner and historian Yaw Anokye Frimpong has said that Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has lost everything, including 22 years of pension benefits, as a result of her decision to fight removal rather than resign.
“She doesn’t even get what she was entitled to from a lower rank for her 22 years of service. That’s why, in the very beginning, it’s often advised to tender your resignation. If you do, you can fight for your entitlements later,” Mr Frimpong explained in an interview on the GTV Breakfast Show.
He noted that several people advised the Chief Justice to resign when the petition against her was filed, but she chose instead to contest it. “When you resign, before a decision is taken against you, you leave with all your entitlements,” he added.
Chief Justice Torkornoo was suspended on April 22, 2025, by President John Mahama after three petitions led to a prima facie determination. With the Council of State’s consent, a five-member inquiry committee was set up under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution to investigate the allegations.
The committee’s report, which cited the unlawful use of public funds, including travel expenses for her husband and daughter, led to the President’s decision to remove her from office.
Mr Frimpong also called for constitutional reforms, particularly amendments to Article 146, which regulates the removal of judges. “The whole nation will have to sit up and call for the amendment of Article 146 to ensure that there is no political column,” he emphasised.
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