The presidency has swiftly responded to claims made by suspended Chief Justice Esaaba Torkornoo regarding the ongoing proceedings that could lead to her possible removal from office.
On Wednesday, June 25, 2025, Madam Torkornoo made serious allegations, including claims that she had been threatened with harm if she refused to retire or resign voluntarily.
She also alleged that her fundamental rights to a fair hearing had been violated and that her complaints in this regard had escalated beyond imagination. She further claimed that the chosen location for the hearing was part of an agenda to intimidate her.
According to her, the location in question was the same one allegedly connected to the murder of three superior court judges in the early 1980s.
She added that the entire process lacked a legal basis and was unconstitutional.
In response to these concerns, government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu stated that the president had followed due process upon receiving the petitions.
According to him, the president had no choice in the matter, and thus the claim that the removal process was politically motivated was false.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu maintained that there is no political agenda surrounding the proceedings.
He also noted that the president had respected the law by refraining from making the process public, in line with constitutional provisions which state that the proceedings must be held in camera.
He expressed disappointment in the suspended Chief Justice for linking the murder of the three judges to the current case, calling the comparison disingenuous. He stressed that President John Dramani Mahama had no involvement in the murders and that it was unfair and unjustifiable to associate him with them.
The spokesperson further clarified that the president had no role in selecting the hearing location. The committee handling the matter, he said, had requested a venue that would be conducive to their work.
He explained that the chosen venue, Adu Lodge, was selected to ensure the requirement for a private (in camera) hearing was respected and to prevent unauthorised individuals from gaining access to the location.
He acknowledged that even if the hearing had been held elsewhere, adequate security measures would have been implemented to prevent unauthorised attendance.
When asked to comment on the allegations of threats of harm the suspended Chief Justice spoke about, he stated that Madam Torkornoo knows the appropriate quarters to go to in order to have the situation dealt with.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana