A photo collage of Anokye Frimpong and Gertrude Torkornoo

Private legal practitioner and historian, Anokye Frimpong, has strongly criticised suspended Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Sackey Torkornoo, for her decision to sue the government at the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) over her suspension and the ongoing hearing of three petitions for her removal.

Sharing his views on the issue, Anokye Frimpong described the decision as premature and an embarrassment to the country, while questioning the motivation behind Justice Torkornoo’s demand for $10 million in compensation.

Speaking to GBC on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, he criticised Justice Torkornoo for her compensation demands, slamming the $10 million claim as excessive and warning that it could potentially destabilise the economy.

“But going to ECOWAS, I believe it’s 100% premature.

“What about your status? What are you looking for? $10 million? If it is possible to get that money, it means you are collapsing the economy of Ghana. Ask yourself whether you have seen $1million before and you want your country to pay you that money. It means you do not have any respect for the economy of the country,” he said.

Anokye Frimpong stated that Gerturde Torkornoo should have sought support from prominent figures and decision-makers in Ghana to appeal her case on her behalf, and only approached the ECOWAS Court after exhausting all domestic options.

He said; “We have certain personalities like Cardinal Appiah Turkson, Archbishop Palmer-Buckle, Duncan-Williams, the Asantehene, National Chief Imam and certain individuals that you can nicodemously talk to and they can work things out for you easily without the embarrassment of going to ECOWAS.”

Anokye Frimpong further argued that Justice Torkornoo’s decision to approach the ECOWAS Court casts a negative image on the country, particularly its judicial system by suggesting an inability to effectively address human rights issues.

“When you get there, you are embarrassing the country to the extent that you are telling the whole world that Ghana's judicial system is not enough to deal with human rights and other matters, and therefore, we are supposed to resort to that place.

“It's an embarrassment to the nation and an embarrassment to yourself because you know the law and when the judicial process in your country has not been completely exhausted you are not supposed to go out,” he concluded.

Justice Torkornoo has asked the Community Court for a number of reliefs, including the revocation of her suspension, a stop to the ongoing hearing on the three petitions for her removal, which were submitted to President John Dramani Mahama, and a demand for $10 million in compensation.

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