Asiedu Nketiah rejects allegations of interference in Justice Torkornoo’s Case

National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has refuted claims that the government is secretly attempting to remove suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo from office.

Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV and monitored by this portal, Mr. Nketiah insisted that the executive has not initiated any process to oust the Chief Justice and is only adhering to constitutional provisions.

“There has been no attempt to remove Justice Torkornoo,” he said. “The executive has acted strictly within the law and has no agenda against the judiciary.”

His remarks come amid public speculation of rising tensions between the executive and the judiciary following the suspension of the Chief Justice.

Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was suspended by President John Dramani Mahama on April 22, 2025, after a prima facie case was established on three separate petitions alleging misconduct and incompetence. Following the suspension, the President constituted a five-member investigative committee, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, to examine the allegations.

Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, the most senior judge on the Supreme Court, was appointed Acting Chief Justice until the panel completes its work.

The decision has sparked mixed reactions across the country. While the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described the suspension as a threat to judicial independence, Chief Justice Torkornoo has called the process “politically motivated” and “unfair.”

The Ghana Bar Association has also criticised the move, arguing that constitutional procedures under Article 296 were not fully followed, particularly the requirement to publish a constitutional instrument.

Mr. Nketiah, however, dismissed suggestions of political interference, emphasising that the government remains committed to upholding democratic principles. He urged the public to allow the investigative panel to complete its work without unnecessary political distractions.

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The committee is expected to submit its report in the coming weeks, after which a final decision will be made regarding the Chief Justice’s position.