CJ removal petitions revealed

Details have emerged regarding three separate petitions submitted to President Mahama seeking the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo over alleged incompetence and misconduct.

The petitions, now with the Council of State as per Article 146(6) of the Constitution, include serious claims ranging from abuse of office to financial impropriety.

The first petition, from a group named *Shining Stars of Ghana*, accuses the Chief Justice of breaching Article 144(2) by recommending Supreme Court judges in her personal capacity and presiding over a controversial ruling involving the Speaker of Parliament without granting him a hearing.

The second petition, believed to stem from personal grievance, was filed by a lawyer and police officer. It claims the Chief Justice was aggressive during a court appearance in 2023 and accuses her of doctoring records—allegations contradicted by court proceedings and interventions from fellow justices and senior lawyers.

The third petition lists 21 instances of misconduct and four counts of incompetence, including allegations of misuse of public funds for private foreign trips involving her family, with unaccounted per diems amounting to thousands of dollars.

Media personality Okatakyie Afrifa-Mensah made these documents public, bringing national attention to the petitions as constitutional processes unfold.