Kwaku Ansa-Asare, former Director of the Ghana School of Law

Former Director of the Ghana School of Law, Kwaku Ansa-Asare, has criticised suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo for publicly addressing the ongoing inquiry into petitions aimed at her removal from office, describing the move as a ‘wrong approach’.

Speaking on JoyNews on June 25, 2025, the respected legal academic said Justice Torkornoo’s decision to go public while the matter is being handled in camera undermines the integrity of the process and the office she holds.

“This is a wrong approach from the Chief Justice. She knows, or ought to know, that when proceedings are being held in camera, you do not go to the court of public opinion,” he stated.

Justice Torkornoo, who was suspended in April 2025 by President John Mahama following advice from the Council of State that a prima facie case had been established in petitions seeking her removal, broke her silence on June 25.

In a press briefing, she raised constitutional and procedural concerns, suggesting that the process was designed to remove her unfairly.

However, Ansa-Asare insisted that such concerns should be addressed directly to the committee handling the inquiry, not through public statements.

“She must go back to the committee and express her concerns there. Her lawyers should insist that her objections are recorded officially,” he said.

He also noted that the public cannot intervene in the suspension process, as it is solely within the constitutional remit of the president.

“The public cannot lift the suspension. The public cannot terminate the suspension. Only the president can do that through the proper process,” he indicated.

Ansa-Asare described the Chief Justice’s actions as emotionally driven but cautioned against allowing frustration to override due process and institutional respect.

“She is clearly frustrated, but that does not justify the path she has chosen. It’s the wrong approach,” he emphasised.

MRA/VPO

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