By Daniel Bampoe
The ongoing suspension and investigation of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo has ignited a storm of political controversy, with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) alleging a calculated political plot by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to reshape Ghana’s judiciary.
At the centre of the latest accusations is Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, who claims the current process to remove the Chief Justice is not only political but also “premeditated, preannounced, and preadvertised.”
Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on Thursday, May 29, Oppong Nkrumah pulled no punches: “I think for her, she will fight for her rights in the ongoing process. But I think any honest person knows that what is going on is politics and not law.”
A Legal Façade for a Political Plot?
The NDC has firmly backed the suspension and ongoing probe into the Chief Justice, portraying it as a constitutional exercise aimed at restoring accountability and public trust in the judiciary.
However, Oppong Nkrumah questioned the integrity of the process, dismissing the legal justification as a smokescreen.
“Anybody who says that this is Article 146 or 147 is either complicit in it or is being naive. Everybody knows what is going on is politics,” he stated emphatically.
According to him, the entire affair was orchestrated long before the current administration took office. “This was premeditated, this was preannounced, this was preadvertised,” he argued, referencing past public remarks by President John Mahama during his time in opposition.
NDC’s Long-Standing Grievances with the Judiciary
Oppong Nkrumah traced the origins of the supposed plot back to statements made by President Mahama, suggesting a desire to alter the judiciary’s composition in favour of the NDC.
“There are clips of now-President Mahama announcing that they have a plan to appoint more NDC persons onto the benches.
He announced clearly that they were of the view that the benches were not favourable to them,” the MP alleged.
He further accused the NDC, while in opposition, of leading a sustained campaign to undermine the judiciary and discredit the Chief Justice.
“They bastardised the Chief Justice and the Supreme Court extensively when they were in opposition,” he said.
Recalling the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election petition, Oppong Nkrumah noted how the judiciary—and Justice Torkornoo in particular—were targeted with online abuse and allegations of partisanship.
“I was part of our legal team when we were going through the last election petition. You see all the remarks that are made about her on social media, calling her all sorts of names and trying very hard to link her to the NPP,” he recounted.
Consequences Are Ahead
In a cautionary tone, the Ofoase Ayirebi legislator warned that Ghana’s democracy could suffer long-term damage if legal instruments continue to be used as cover for political vendettas.
“What is going on is a pre-advertised, pre-orchestrated, pre-planned exercise now using the legal processes as a cover, and I don’t think anybody is fooled by that,” he said.
“But what I will say to that is that the consequences of our actions are ahead of us.”
NDC’s Push for Accountability and Reform
Meanwhile, the NDC has stood firmly by the process, claiming it is rooted in constitutional propriety and judicial reform. Following the Supreme Court’s May 28 ruling dismissing Justice Torkornoo’s application to halt the investigative committee, NDC-aligned officials have stepped up their defence of the process.
Dr. Sofo Rashid Tanko, CEO of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), said on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily:
“The law is the law. All the judges who made this decision are seasoned and not appointees of the current administration. What Justice Torkornoo attempted—trying to injunct the president’s powers—is unheard of.”
Charles Bawaduah, MP for Bongo, also rejected claims of political manipulation, stating on The Point of View with Bernard Avle:
“There’s no flaw anywhere. This is a legal, not political, matter. The Chief Justice’s legal team failed to meet the threshold for an injunction. The Supreme Court merely applied the law.”
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu added that although Article 146—which governs the removal of superior court judges—is flawed, it still holds legal validity. “We can’t put the brakes on the CJ’s removal just because Article 146 isn’t perfect,” he said.
Broader Reforms in the Works
As the controversy deepens, the Mahama administration has announced plans to introduce comprehensive reforms targeting the judiciary.
On May 27, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga informed Parliament that the government would table a bill titled Removal from Office of Justices of the Supreme Court Rules to clarify procedures and strengthen oversight.
“This is not control—it is clarity,” Ayariga said. “We want to entrench judicial accountability while safeguarding independence.”
The legislation is part of a wider package that includes over 20 reform bills aimed at boosting public sector transparency and justice system efficiency.
Among these are bills reforming legal education, public officer conduct, and antiquated court rules.
Judiciary in the Crosshairs
The suspension of Justice Torkornoo marks the first time in Ghana’s Fourth Republic that a sitting Chief Justice has faced a formal probe.
While NDC leaders argue the action is constitutionally grounded, critics see a dangerous precedent of executive overreach.
As public debate intensifies, the battle over the judiciary has become a focal point in the political discourse, raising fundamental questions about the balance of power, judicial independence, and the rule of law.
Whether the process leads to accountability or reinforces fears of politicization may ultimately shape not only the legacy of the Mahama administration but the future credibility of Ghana’s justice system.
