Suspened CJ Torkornoo is merely barking – Ansa-Asare on injunction to stop removal probe

Kwaku Ansa-Asare, former Director of the Ghana School of Law, has spoken out. He criticized suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo’s legal actions. He called her attempt to stop her removal process unconstitutional and “very worrying.”

Torkornoo filed an application at the Supreme Court on May 21. She seeks to restrain a committee set up by President Mahama. This committee is investigating petitions for her removal.

In her suit, she requests an injunction to halt all committee proceedings. She also wants Justices Pwamang and Adibu-Asiedu barred from participating in the committee.

Ansa-Asare discussed this issue on JoyFM’s NewsNight. He stated that Torkornoo's move undermines the Constitution. He accused her and her legal team of trying to disrupt a lawful process.

“This is very worrying,” he said about Torkornoo's actions. “Any application to stop the process will itself be unconstitutional,” he added.

He explained that Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution gives power to the President. Only the President can initiate removal proceedings against the Chief Justice after receiving a formal petition.

“The law states that only the president may start this process,” he noted. Ansa-Asare emphasized that President Mahama has followed constitutional procedures strictly.

“The President has not violated any stages in this process,” he said. Therefore, halting it would be very difficult for anyone, he added.

He concluded by saying, "What they are doing is merely barking but cannot bite."