The ECOWAS Court has granted the sacked Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo’s application to amend her case before it.
According to The Law Platform, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo appeared before the court on January 30, 2026, seeking to introduce twelve new claims aimed at reversing her removal as Chief Justice of Ghana.
Through her lawyer, Femi Falana, Justice Torkornoo prayed the court to grant the amendment application and to deem the modifications already filed at the court’s registry as properly filed.
Per a report sighted by GhanaWeb, Justice Torkornoo is arguing that her suspension as Chief Justice of Ghana violates her fundamental human rights, particularly her right to a fair hearing.
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Femi Falana also submitted before the court that the Pwamang Committee, set up to investigate allegations of misconduct against his client, was not constituted in a manner that guaranteed its independence and impartiality.
He contended that this, among other issues, amounted to a violation of the applicant’s human rights.
In response, the Deputy Attorney-General, Justice Srem-Sai, who was also present in court, argued that the proposed amendments seek to expand the Chief Justice’s initial reliefs.
According to him, the originating process already filed by the Chief Justice constitutes an abuse of the court’s processes. He therefore urged the court to dismiss the application, particularly the attempt to introduce matters relating to her removal.
Meanwhile, the ECOWAS Court, in its ruling, unanimously granted the Chief Justice’s application to amend her claims.
Read below all twelve claims granted Justice Torkornoo by the ECOWAS Court:
“A. A DECLARATION that the suspension of the Applicant as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana by the President of the Respondent State on April 22, 2025, violated the Applicant’s human rights to fair hearing guaranteed by Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Two new petitions filed for the removal of suspended Chief Justice Torkornoo
B. A DECLARATION that the panel instituted by the Respondent to investigate and determine the allegations of misconduct against the Applicant was not constituted to guarantee its independence and impartiality, and as such has violated the Applicant’s human right to fair hearing guaranteed by Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
C. A DECLARATION that the purported suspension of the Applicant as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana by the President of the Respondent State on April 22, 2025, constitutes a violation of her human right to fair, equitable, and satisfactory conditions guaranteed by Article 15 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
D. A DECLARATION that the purported suspension of the Applicant as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana by the President of the Respondent State on April 22, 2025, has exposed her to public ridicule and odium locally and internationally, and the said act constitutes a violation of her human right to dignity guaranteed by Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
E. A DECLARATION that by subjecting the Applicant to an illegal and unfair investigation, the Respondent has inflicted injuries on her professional standing and image, thereby exposing her and her family to immeasurable public ridicule, contrary to Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The ‘sins’ of sacked Chief Justice Torkornoo
F. A DECLARATION that the purported removal of the Applicant as Chief Justice of the Respondent violates her human rights to fair hearing and work guaranteed by Articles 7 and 15 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
G. A DECLARATION that the refusal of the Respondent to give the report which formed the President’s prima facie determination and the report of the Committee which investigated the Applicant to her constitutes a violation of Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
H. AN ORDER directing the Respondent to immediately lift the removal and restore the Applicant to the office of the Chief Justice forthwith.
I. AN ORDER directing the Respondent to immediately lift the removal and restore the Applicant as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana forthwith.
J. AN ORDER directing the Respondent to make available to the Applicant the report which formed the President’s prima facie determination and the report of the Committee which investigated the petitions against her.
K. AN ORDER awarding USD 10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Dollars) as compensation for moral and reputational damages suffered by the Applicant.
L. Any other relief(s) as the Honourable Court deems just.”
JHM/BAI
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