The Bar Council of England and Wales, along with the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, has expressed serious concern over the suspension of Ghana’s Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude A.E.S. Torkornoo, who was removed from office on 22 April 2025.
In a press release issued on 14 August 2025, the Bar Council of England and Wales and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association said they were “seriously concerned” about the Chief Justice’s removal from office on 22 April 2025. Justice Torkornoo, who former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appointed in June 2023, has since taken her case to the ECOWAS Court of Justice, challenging the constitutionality of the suspension after earlier domestic attempts.
“The existence of an independent and impartial judiciary is one of the cardinal features and bedrock of any country governed by the rule of law,” the statement declared, stressing that any executive action capable of undermining judicial independence should be treated as a grave matter.
The release reminded Ghana of its obligations as a member of the Commonwealth, citing the Commonwealth Charter, which affirms: “We support an independent, impartial, honest and competent judiciary and recognise that an independent, effective and competent legal system is integral to upholding the rule of law, engendering public confidence and dispensing justice.”
It also highlighted the Commonwealth (Latimer House) Principles of 2003, which require disciplinary processes against judicial officers to ensure fairness, including the right to be fully informed of charges, to be represented, to mount a full defense, and to be judged by an independent tribunal.
The Bar Council and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association echoed the joint concerns previously raised by the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges Association and the Ghana Bar Association, warning that Ghana’s long-standing reputation as a nation committed to the rule of law could be undermined.
