Kwaku Ansa-Asare, the former Director of the Ghana School of Law, has told the former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo remain silent in view of the oath of secrecy she subscribed to as a Council of State member.
According to Kwaku Ansa-Asare, Sophia Akuffo’s remarks on the removal of Gertrude Torkornoo as Chief Justice are inappropriate and amount to a breach of the oath of secrecy.
Speaking in an interview on TV3’s NewsCentral, September 3, 2025, Ansa-Asare stressed, “All I can say is that our eminent and distinguished former Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana has nodded a little. The public has reposed confidence in her; she subscribed to the oath of a member of the Council of State and the oath of secrecy, so her comment and the whole interview are inappropriate.
“…seeks to realise that she cannot say anything and some of the things she said are just indirectly to her knowledge of what actually transpired at the Council of State and her appearance at the Committee sittings and once she has subscribed to a certain oath, she must always bear in mind that the Oath is a sacred duty which must not be broken,”
He added, “What she has done is in clear breach of the trust the good people of Ghana have reposed in her”.
“My good advice to my distinguished former Chief Justice is that in such matters, she should remain silent in view of the oath that she has subscribed to,” Kwaku Ansa-Asare added.
His comment comes following Sophia Akuffo’s remarks in an interview, condemning President John Mahama’s removal of the former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
According to Sophia Akuffo, the allegation that led to the removal of the Chief Justice is not strong enough to justify her dismissal.
In an interview with TV3, September 2, Sophia Akuffo stated, “The [allegations] lack the gravity that will lead to a grave outcome such as the removal of the head of an institution of justice.”
Sophia Akuffo further urged Gertrude Torkornoo to take heart, as God may have bigger, better, and greater things planned for her.
Madam Sophia Akuffo added, “She should take heart. That God sees, and sometimes when you go through certain things which you think have brought you to the end or to your knees or something like that, that could be far from the truth”.
“There could be bigger, better and greater needs that the Lord has in store. That is what I will tell her, and that is what I will send to her as a text message.”
“When you are a believer, things happen today, yes, they have happened, so look to God and move on, and you will allow God to manage the rest”, she added.
Sophia Akuffo further condemned the proceedings that led to President John Dramani Mahama removing the Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo.
According to Sophia Akuffo, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo was not given a fair hearing.
Sophia Akuffo described the proceedings as a “rigmarole” that set a dangerous precedent for Ghana’s judiciary.
The former Chief Justice added, “She did not get a fair trial. Even though it is not a trial strictly speaking, it was handled as though it were a treason trial”.
“They lack the gravity that will lead to a grave outcome such as the removal of the head of an institution of justice”.
The former Chief Justice’s remarks echo the same feelings Chief Justice Torkonoo herself had earlier labelled as cruel and unconstitutional.
Background
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.
A leaked document on social media concluded that Justice Torkornoo had engaged in conduct amounting to “stated misbehaviour” under Article 146(1).
The Key finding read, “Unlawful expenditure of public funds: The committee held that the Chief Justice caused the Judicial Service to pay travel expenses for her husband and daughter during private holiday trips in 2023, including per diem allowances. This, the report stated, was an “avoidable and reckless dissipation of public funds.”
Abuse of discretionary power: The committee found that her handling of the transfer of one Mr. Baiden breached Article 296(a) and (b) of the Constitution, describing the act as misbehaviour.
Interference in judicial appointments: The report also noted that she sought to bypass the established process for nominating Justices of the Supreme Court, contrary to precedent set in the Ghana Bar Association case. The committee concluded this amounted to misbehaviour”.
The committee subsequently recommended her removal in accordance with Article 146(7). President Mahama, bound by Article 146(9), which makes the President’s action mandatory once such a recommendation is made, formally removed Justice Torkornoo by Warrant of Removal under the Presidential Seal.
See the post below:
Kwaku Ansa-Asare, the former Director of the Ghana School of Law, criticized Sophia Akuffo's actions, stating that her oath is a sacred duty and her actions constitute a "breach of the trust imposed in her as a Council of State member. pic.twitter.com/4BpkgDOU8c
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) September 3, 2025