Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has disclosed that the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was embedded in shallowness and an ephemeral nature.
According to Sophia Akuffo, there was a Shallowness, Ephemeral Nature in Torkornoo’s removal, stating that she disagreed with the grounds because the threshold was rather low.
Speaking in a review interview on TV3, the former Chief Justice asserted that there were insufficient grounds for the removal of Justice Torkornoo.
She indicated that the removal of her former colleague, the Chief Justice, was ‘shallow’ and unjustified.
“What I am critiquing is the shallowness and the ephemeral nature of the grounds on which a Chief Justice and a justice of the superior court can be removed.
the former Chief Justice asserted that there were insufficient grounds for the removal of Justice Torkornoo.
The former Chief Justice further argued that the Council of State was not qualified to determine a prima facie case in a judicial matter because of the technicalities involved.
Speaking in a review interview on TV3, Sophia Akuffo stated, “What I am critiquing is the shallowness and the ephemeral nature of the grounds on which a Chief Justice and a justice of the superior court can be removed.
I disagree with the grounds for her removal because the threshold that was being applied was rather low. Once again, I cannot go too much into that because the proceedings were all within confidentiality,” she said.
She further revealed that she opposed the removal of Torkornoo following the determination of a prima facie case against her by the Council of State, which was part of the proceedings before her resignation.
According to Sophia Akuffo she filed a dissenting view on the determination of a prima facie case against Torkornoo by the Council.
“I actually filed a dissenting opinion. I found my opinion… That’s as far as I want to go. I think that ethically, that’s as far as I can go.
“But one day, when the records of the Council of State are made public for that period, yes, my dissenting opinion will be there in the records because I wrote it myself and sent it in myself,” she added.
Meanwhile, in 2025 following the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo Sophia Akuffo who was then a member of the Council of State condemned the proceedings that led to President John Dramani Mahama removing the Chief Justice.
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.
She expressed her dismay at how the matter was handled.
In an interview with TV3 today, September 2, Sophia Akuffo stated, “She did not get a fair trial,” Akuffo said. “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 Torkonoo herself had earlier labelled as cruel and unconstitutional.
Watch the video below:
Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has disclosed that she filed a disagreeing opinion on the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, stating she disagreed with the grounds because "the threshold was rather low."#TheKeyPoints #TV3GH pic.twitter.com/ftikRUnP2o
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) September 12, 2026
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