Former Electoral Commission Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, has reacted with humor to the ongoing controversy over the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, joking that if the old African saying about sneezing when your name is mentioned were true, she would have “died from sneezing.”
Charlotte noted that her name has been repeatedly mentioned by Ghanaians over the past two weeks.
While she didn’t explicitly link the renewed attention to the Chief Justice’s case, many social media users have drawn comparisons between her 2018 removal and Chief Justice Torkornoo’s current suspension.
Appointed under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, Charlotte Osei was ousted during the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration after petitions were submitted to the President and referred to the Council of State, leading to her dismissal. Similarly, President John Dramani Mahama recently suspended Chief Justice Torkornoo after a prima facie case was established based on three petitions.
Taking to her social media page on April 26, 2025, Charlotte wrote:
“You know how they say in Africa that if you sneeze, it means your name is being mentioned somewhere in your absence? I can confirm this is absolutely not true because, like the past two weeks, I would have died from sneezing! Ebeiiiii.”
President Mahama’s suspension of Justice Torkornoo was executed under Article 146(6) of the 1992 Constitution, following consultation with the Council of State. A five-member committee has been appointed to investigate the petitions:
- Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, Supreme Court Justice (Chairperson)
- Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu-Asiedu, Supreme Court Justice (Member)
- Daniel Yaw Domelevo, Former Auditor-General (Member)
- Major Flora Bazwaanura Dalugo, Ghana Armed Forces (Member)
- Professor James Sefah Dzisah, Associate Professor at the University of Ghana (Member)
The suspension remains in place pending the outcome of the committee’s investigations.
Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, born on September 11, 1962, in Cape Coast, became Ghana’s 15th Chief Justice on June 12, 2023, under President Nana Akufo-Addo. An influential judicial reformer and accomplished writer, she previously served on the Supreme Court from 2019.
You know how they say in Africa that if you sneeze, it means your name is being mentioned somewhere in your absence. I can confirm this is absolutely not true 😅. Because like the past two weeks, I would have died from sneezing! 🤧 Ebeiiiii #africantales #sneezing pic.twitter.com/ZKsN6MB3Q8
— Nana Ama (@char_osei) April 26, 2025
