The Supreme Court, in a 3-2 majority decision, has dismissed an application seeking to halt the process for the removal of Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo and revoke her suspension from office.
The application, filed by Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, was represented in court by lawyer and former Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame.
Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, along with Justices Yonny Kulendi and Amadu Tanko, ruled to dismiss the injunction request.
Justices Henrietta Mensah Bonsu and Ernest Gaewu dissented, opposing the majority decision.
The court indicated that the full reasons for its decision will be made public on May 21, 2025.
Before the dismissal, the Supreme Court had, by a unanimous decision, dismissed an objection raised by Godfred Dame against the participation of acting Chief Justice, Baffoe-Bonnie in the panel hearing the case concerning the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
Mr Dame, who described Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s role as “unprecedented”, argued that it was procedurally improper for the acting Chief Justice to both empanel and preside over a matter directly involving the substantive Chief Justice.
According to him, such a move could undermine public confidence in the judiciary’s independence.
Following a brief recess, the Supreme Court panel reconvened and unanimously overruled the objection.
A five-member committee has since been constituted to investigate the allegations leveled against the Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
Before the petition was referred to the Council of State, Assafuah filed an interlocutory injunction at the Supreme Court, seeking to restrain the president from transmitting the petition to the Chief Justice for a response.