The ECOWAS Court of Justice has rejected former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo’s request for interim measures to halt the committee probing her removal from the office. Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the decision on Facebook, stating the application failed to meet the necessary criteria for urgent relief.
Justice Sai explained that Torkornoo’s own actions undermined her claim of immediate and irreversible harm. The court noted her nearly three-month delay in filing the motion after her suspension on April 22, 2025, indicating a lack of urgency.
The ruling followed Torkornoo’s request for temporary orders to prevent the inquiry led by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, which investigated the circumstances surrounding her ousting and her successor, Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie
While the court acknowledged her prima facie case of human rights violations, it emphasized that her delay in filing weakened her argument for urgent action. The court also dismissed Ghana’s objection, claiming a lack of jurisdiction, clarifying that the sub judice principle applies only when cases are pending judgment elsewhere, not just because they share related facts.
The court declared her main application admissible, with the Attorney General now required to file a response.
Story by: Mercy Addai Turkson #ahotoronline.com