The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has thrown out an application filed by former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo challenging her removal from office as Chief Justice and Justice of Ghana’s Supreme Court.
According to reports, the ECOWAS court ruling delivered on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, dismissed all 7 claims brought by former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo against the Republic of Ghana.
The ruling delivered by the ECOWAS court is a significant setback for Gertrude Torkonoo, who ran to the regional court to contest the process that led to her removal from office after several of her cases were dismissed by Ghana’s courts.
The ECOWAS court’s unanimous decision effectively ends her bid to challenge the legality of her removal.
Details surrounding the ECOWAS court decision to unanimously throw out the application are not yet known.
In a post shared by the Deputy Attorney General, Justice Srem-Sai stated, “The ECOWAS Community Court has, a while ago, dismissed all of the 7 claims which the former Chief Justice, Her Ladyship, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, brought against our beloved Republic.
In respect of Her Ladyship’s claim for US$ 10 million damages, the Court held that “in light of the Court’s conclusions that Ghana has not violated any of the Applicant’s rights under the African Charter as alleged, the Court makes no decision on reparations.”
Thanks, again, to our team of illustrious State Attorneys who put in hours and hours of research to support the Republic’s defence”.
It will be recalled, Justice Srem-Sai, the Deputy Attorney General, revealed that the suspended Chief Justice of Ghana, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, filed another case at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria.
In a post on X on Tuesday, July 8, Justice Srem-Sai wrote, “I can confirm that the Chief Justice – Her Ladyship, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo – has filed another court case – this time, at the ECOWAS Community Court in Abuja, Nigeria, against the Republic.
In the case, which was filed on July 4, Her Ladyship repeated the same allegations of human rights violations which are currently pending determination before our Supreme Court and, also, before our High Court in respect of the ongoing removal processes.
Essentially, Her Ladyship argues that by her suspension, she “has effectively been removed from her official capacity without a final determination, impairing her right to function and serve in a position she was constitutionally appointed to.”
Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, in her suit, accused President John Dramani Mahama of failing to specify the claims in the petitions for her removal.
According to the details of the lawsuit, she is seeking ten reliefs from the ECOWAS Court, including $10 million in compensation for moral and reputational damages suffered by the Applicant as a result of her illegal suspension and unfair investigation.
President John Mahama sacked the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, from office with immediate effect after he received a first report from the five-member committee he constituted to investigate three petitions brought against the Chief Justice.
Hours after President Mahama received the committee reports, Chief Justice Torkornoo was sacked with immediate effect.
A statement from the presidency stated, “President John Dramani Mahama has, in accordance with Article 146(9) of the 1992 Constitution, removed the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, from office with immediate effect”.
“This follows receipt of the report of the Committee constituted under Article 146(6) to inquire into a petition submitted by a Ghanaian citizen, Mr. Daniel Ofori. After considering the petition and the evidence, the Committee found that the grounds of stated misbehaviour under Article 146(1) had been established and recommended her removal from office.
“Under Article 146(9), the President is required to act in accordance with the Committee’s recommendation,” the statement concluded.
See the post below:
The ECOWAS Community Court has, a while ago, dismissed all of the 7 claims which the former Chief Justice, Her Ladyship, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, brought against our beloved Republic.
— Justice Srem-Sai (@JusticeSremSai) June 24, 2026
In respect of Her Ladyship’s claim for US$ 10 million damages, the Court held that “in…
