…Receives Unanimous 5:0 ‘Whirlwind’
By Philip Antoh
EMBATTLED Chief Justice Getrude Araba Torkornor has suffered yet another HUMILIATING defeat in her desperate bid to halt the investigation into her future
A five-member panel of Supreme Court Justices, led by the venerable Justice Baffoe Bonnie, delivered a crushing 5:0 ruling, throwing out the Chief Justice’s desperate plea to halt the ongoing inquiry into petitions against her.
In a massive blow on Wednesday, May 28, the Supreme Court unanimously THREW OUT her plea to stop the five-member committee probing calls for her removal.
Torkornor had begged the top court on May 21 to grant an injunction against the six-member committee, appointed by President John Mahama.
The application sought to restrain the committee from carrying out any investigation until the substantive case is resolved – a bid that clearly fell flat with her judicial colleagues.
Court papers show the Chief Justice specifically demanded that Justices Gabriel Scott Pwamang and Samuel Kwame Adibu-Asiedu, along with other committee members like Daniel Yao Domelevo, Major Flora Bazuwaaruah Dalugo, and Professor James Sefah Dzisah, be banned from the probe.
She even wanted Pwamang and Adibu-Asiedu KICKED OUT of leading or even discussing the committee’s work
But the Supreme Court, in a united front, delivered a resounding “NO” to her plea on Wednesday.
The full, juicy details of the ruling are expected to drop on June 12, 2025.
This ruling is a huge twist in the ongoing legal rollercoaster surrounding Justice Torkornor’s suspension and the massive constitutional questions it’s raising.
The Judges Who Sealed Her Fate:
Here’s a look at the distinguished panel that delivered the decisive blow:
Justice Baffoe Bonnie (Presiding): A legal veteran called to the Bar in 1983, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie has served across various judicial tiers, from Circuit Court Judge in Kumasi to High Court Judge at Duayaw Nkwanta. He ascended to the Appeals Court in 2006 and was appointed to the Supreme Court by President John Agyekum Kufuor in June 2008.
Justice Amadu Tanko: Appointed to the High Court in 2008, Justice Tanko rose through the ranks, becoming a Court of Appeal judge in 2012 before being sworn into the Supreme Court by President Nana Akufo-Addo in 2020.
Justice Yoni Kulendi: President Nana Akufo-Addo appointed Justice Yoni Kulendi to the Supreme Court on March 17, 2020, with his swearing-in taking place on May 26, 2020.
Justice Henry Kwofie: Joining the Judicial Service in August 1998 as a Circuit Judge, Justice Kwofie’s career has seen him serve as a High Court Judge in Accra and Koforidua, including a stint as a Commercial Court judge.
He was appointed to the Appeal Court in January 2015 and finally elevated to the Supreme Court in July 2023 by former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Justice Richard Adjei Frimpong: Starting his judicial journey as a District Magistrate in Bekwai in 2003, Justice Adjei Frimpong’s extensive career includes serving as a Circuit Court Judge in Bekwai and Kumasi, and a High Court Judge in Accra, Tema, and Sekondi.
Since 2020, he has been a Justice of the Court of Appeal and was sworn into the Supreme Court by President Akufo-Addo on January 3, 2024.
What does this unanimous decision mean for the future of the Chief Justice? Only time will tell as the inquiry continues.
