A seismic revelation has rocked Ghana’s judiciary as the former judicial secretary to Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has provided damning testimony to the Council of State, implicating the Chief Justice in alleged financial impropriety.
The explosive claims, detailed in today’s Daily Graphic banner headline, have fueled the ongoing Article 146 petition process, which led to Torkornoo’s suspension on April 22, 2025.
The secretary’s testimony, accusing Torkornoo of pressuring her to approve illegal financial transactions, has intensified calls for accountability at the highest echelons of the judiciary.
The former judicial secretary, now a judge, reportedly told the Council of State that Torkornoo coerced her into authorizing payments for unauthorized travel expenses, including trips involving the Chief Justice’s husband and daughter, which violated judicial financial protocols.
Additionally, the secretary alleged that Torkornoo facilitated a single-source contract through restricted tendering, raising suspicions of nepotism, as documents suggest the contract benefited her daughter.
These revelations have prompted demands for the secretary herself to face investigation for her role in approving the funds, despite her claim of acting under duress. Sources also indicate a broader scheme, dubbed “Operation Cover All Loot,” with some implicated parties rushing to refund misappropriated funds.
The testimony has galvanized the Article 146 petitions filed by private citizen Daniel Yaw, senior police officer Jamalo, and the group Shining Stars, which accuse Torkornoo of corruption and judicial misconduct.
The Council of State, after reviewing the claims, advised President Mahama that a prima facie case exists, triggering the ongoing in-camera probe, which began on May 15, 2025. Prominent lawyers Tsatsu Tsikata, Thaddeus Sory, and Oliver Barker-Vormawor, representing the petitioners, have dismissed attempts by Daily Guide and NPP affiliates to politicize the issue as an NDC-NPP conflict, with Barker-Vormawor clarifying his CPP affiliation.
Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Reverend Michael Quaye, has sparked controversy by demanding public hearings, arguing that prior leaks negate the constitutional mandate for in-camera proceedings. Legal experts have criticized this stance, warning that it undermines the 1992 Constitution. The Supreme Court, in a 3-2 ruling on May 6, 2025, upheld Torkornoo’s suspension, rejecting her bid to halt the process.
