New rules on the removal of Superior court justices in the offing-Ayariga

The government is set to roll out a detailed legislative framework to guide the removal of justices from Ghana’s superior courts, including the Chief Justice, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has revealed.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, May 27, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga announced that the upcoming reforms would offer clear, structured guidelines for addressing judicial misconduct, ensuring both accountability and the protection of judicial independence. 

The reforms are part of a broader legislative agenda as Parliament resumes sitting after its recess.

The announcement follows heightened public interest and scrutiny surrounding the recent suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, who is under investigation for alleged misconduct. Her case has sparked a nationwide conversation about the inadequacies in existing procedures for removing senior judges from office.

Ayariga underscored the administration’s intention to resolve ambiguities within the current constitutional provisions, particularly those under Article 146, which many observers say are open to political manipulation and lack procedural clarity.

As part of the reform package, the Attorney General is expected to present various subsidiary legislations in the coming weeks. These include key regulations touching on judicial and legal procedures, such as updated Court of Appeal and Supreme Court Rules, and importantly, a specific legal instrument dedicated to the removal of Supreme Court justices.

Other regulations to be introduced cover corporate insolvency, operations of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), and amendments to the High Court’s civil procedure rules.

According to Ayariga, President John Dramani Mahama views the reforms as essential to strengthening democratic governance and restoring public confidence in the justice system.

The current Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, was suspended on April 22 following a formal complaint that accused her of bias and administrative lapses. A special committee was tasked to investigate the allegations, which she has firmly denied.

Her suspension has reignited calls from legal professionals, civil society, and international observers for a more robust and apolitical framework to manage such sensitive matters.