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Suspended Chief Justice of Ghana, Her Ladyship Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, has publicly claimed that she has received multiple threats urging her to either resign or face harm amid ongoing proceedings to remove her from office.
Speaking for the first time since her suspension, Justice Torkornoo disclosed that well-wishers, acquaintances, and anonymous sources have warned her of looming dangers should she refuse to step down. She characterized the proceedings against her as politically motivated and aimed at undermining judicial independence.
“I have heard on several occasions, from loved ones, persons who care, persons who may not know me beyond my public duties… that since the current proceedings seem carefully staged to result in my removal as Chief Justice, it would be best if I just retired or resigned,” she said in her address on Wednesday, June 25.
She further claimed that veiled threats have been made regarding her personal safety, describing the situation as part of “a political agenda to remove me and control the Judiciary.”
The Chief Justice, who has served as a judge for 21 years and practised law for 38 years, insisted that her decision to remain in office is grounded in a deep sense of duty to justice and democratic accountability.
She pointed to a precedent-setting Supreme Court case (J6/02/2019), emphasizing that under Article 146 of Ghana’s Constitution, public officeholders under investigation cannot lawfully resign or retire during proceedings initiated by the state.
“A judge who resigns or retires would still lose all entitlements because they failed to defend the claims… If false claims are made… the solution cannot be to resign or voluntarily retire out of frustration, pressure or fear,” she said.
Justice Torkornoo stressed that stepping down would not only forfeit her benefits but also legitimize a flawed and opaque process. “It would wrongly imply that this flawed, unknown and opaque process is acceptable. It is not.”
She concluded by warning that her ordeal reflects a dangerous precedent for Ghana’s democracy: “The current bizarre proceedings I have brought to your attention present a twist to our nation’s democratic journey that we ignore only at great cost.”
