A legal practitioner, Richard Obeng Mensah, has called for clearer laws to guide the removal of high-profile officials such as the Chief Justice, following the dismissal of Justice Gertrude Torkonoo. Speaking on Focus FM’s Teknokrat Show with Sika Audrey Dzifa, Mr. Obeng Mensah stressed that the issue should not be reduced to political arguments but viewed through the lens of constitutional procedure.
“The fact that there is a change of government does not mean a Chief Justice must be changed. Petitions were made, a committee investigated, and findings were submitted.
The President has acted on those findings,” he explained. He pointed out that although Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution provides for the removal of a Chief Justice, the country still lacks detailed legislation to guide the process.
“I do not agree with anyone who says the removal of the Chief Justice is loose. It is a rigorous process, but what we need is specific laws to provide clarity and consistency,” he added.
Mr. Obeng Mensah further urged national advocacy on reforming the removal process to safeguard judicial independence. “This is not the first time petitions have been filed against a Chief Justice, though most have never taken effect.
Strengthening the law will help protect both the officeholder and the integrity of our judiciary,” he concluded. The discussion formed part of a broader conversation on “The Removal of the Chief Justice: Impact on Ghana’s Judicial Independence.”