Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo has strongly defended her decision to travel abroad on holiday with her spouse and daughter at the state’s expense, rejecting claims of misappropriating public funds.
In her official response to petitions seeking her removal from office, Justice Torkornoo denied allegations of unlawfully using GH¢261,890 to finance two foreign trips in 2023. She clarified that the travel arrangements, which included her husband and daughter, were fully compliant with Judicial Service policies and her appointment terms.
“My appointment letter clearly outlines that I am entitled to two round-trip tickets for official vacations each year, with travel expenses, accommodation, and per diem covered by the Judicial Service,” she stated.
Justice Torkornoo referred to the Judicial Service Foreign Travel Policy, which, she said, explicitly authorizes the Chief Justice to travel with a spouse or designated individual at the state’s expense. She added that this policy has been in effect since 2010 and was amended in 2019 to reinforce these entitlements.
According to her, these benefits are not exclusive to her office but are “standard entitlements for other heads of government,” including the President and Speaker of Parliament, under Article 57(2) of the 1992 Constitution.
The Chief Justice also addressed allegations that she failed to retire an imprest of $9,589. She maintained that she spent $4,411 out of a $14,000 imprest and returned the balance two days after her return, with full documentation to support the transaction.
“I do not personally handle the purchase of flight tickets or determine per diem allowances. These are managed by the Judicial Secretary and Director of Finance, based on Article 71 guidelines,” she explained, dismissing claims of personal wrongdoing.
Justice Torkornoo emphasized that all expenditures were processed and approved through the proper institutional channels, underscoring her lack of direct control over financial disbursements.
She further argued that equating her authorized family travel with misconduct was an affront to judicial independence and a misinterpretation of her privileges as Chief Justice.
“Suggesting that I misappropriated funds for traveling with a designated companion under official policy is both absurd and dangerous to democratic governance,” she asserted.
Calling the petition “baseless,” she urged the President and the Council of State to reject the claims outright, noting that she had provided all necessary documentation, including multiple exhibits, to counter the accusations.
Source: Thepressradio.com
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