Former CJ Torkornoo sues government over withheld salary and benefits

Former Chief Justice of Ghana, Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, has filed a legal challenge at the High Court in Accra, seeking to stop what she describes as the unlawful denial of her salary, benefits, and entitlements following her removal from office.

In her application for judicial review, filed on October 16, 2025, Justice Torkornoo is asking the court to issue an order prohibiting the government from withholding her lawful entitlements that were due to her before the issuance of the presidential warrant removing her from office on September 1, 2025.

Her legal team argues that she remains entitled to all courtesies and benefits of her office up until that date, and that any attempt to deny or withdraw those entitlements is unlawful.

The former Chief Justice is also asking the court to:

* Cancel all proceedings and findings of the committee that investigated petitions for her removal;
* Nullify the presidential warrant that removed her;
* And stop the ongoing process to appoint a new Chief Justice.

Justice Torkornoo was removed from office by President John Mahama following a report by a committee chaired by Justice Gabriel Pwamang, which found her guilty of misconduct and recommended her dismissal under Article 146 of the Constitution.

However, she insists in her legal documents that the findings were unfair, unconstitutional, and did not meet the legal standard for removing a Chief Justice. She claims the committee’s conclusions were based on false or misleading grounds, and that the process itself was flawed and breached her constitutional rights.

Among other issues, she argues that:

* Expenses cited as misconduct were not authorised by her personally but were handled by authorised officials within the Judicial Service;
* Her actions regarding judge transfers and appointments were within her constitutional mandate;
* And the proceedings were conducted in a manner that violated natural justice.

The case names the Attorney-General as the respondent and also notifies the President of the Republic.

The High Court is yet to fix a date for hearing the application.