Host of Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom-Otchere, has cautioned against the hasty use of Article 146 of the Constitution to remove heads of the judiciary, warning that judicial errors should not automatically translate into misconduct.
Speaking in an interview, 2025, Mr. Adom-Otchere made the remarks while commenting on the removal of Justice Gertrude Torkornoo as Chief Justice.
The removal process was triggered by a petition filed on March 17, 2025, by Ghanaian citizen Daniel Ofori, who accused the former Chief Justice of misconduct and misbehaviour. Following a review of the petition, her response, and advice from the Council of State, a committee was set up by the President to investigate the former Chief Justice.
Mr. Adom-Otchere argued that although Supreme Court rulings could sometimes be wrong, there are established legal remedies for such situations other than attempting to oust the head of the judiciary.
“We have to be mindful of the fact that there could be an error on the part of the Supreme Court. That is very possible. The Supreme Court can be wrong in decision A or B. That happens, and it happened in the past, and the law is okay with some of these things. But even if they are wrong, the way to manage it is not to rush to the constitution and find Article 146 and take them out,” he said.
He further linked the controversy to political tensions, noting that Justice Torkornoo’s decision in the “vacant seat” matter had angered sections of the then opposition.
“The decision that Justice Torkornoo, at the time, made in the vacant seat matter, rubbed the NDC on a very wrong side in a political way. Since her removal, there have been important people on social media who have celebrated her removal as a result of SALL in the Oti Region,” he added.
President John Dramani Mahama, on Monday, September 1, 2025, removed Justice Torkornoo from office in accordance with Article 146(9) of the 1992 Constitution.
A statement from the Presidency explained that the decision followed the recommendation of a committee established under Article 146(6) to investigate a petition filed by a citizen, Daniel Ofori. The removal took immediate effect.
The statement, signed by Presidential Spokesperson and Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, emphasized that the President was constitutionally bound to act on the committee’s recommendation.
