Accra: Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem Sai, has provided details on the ongoing Supreme Court cases involving former Chief Justice Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, following her decision to withdraw a review application.
According to Ghana Web, Dr. Justice Srem Sai explained that out of the five original cases filed at the Supreme Court concerning Justice Torkornoo's removal process, one case was eventually abandoned and struck out, leaving four cases still active before the court. The latest developments pertain to two of these remaining cases, both of which involve similar legal issues.
Dr. Srem Sai elaborated that in one of the two cases, Justice Torkornoo is a defendant along with the Attorney General, whereas in the other, she is a plaintiff with the Attorney General as the defendant. Despite the differing positions of the parties, both cases raise the same legal questions.
The Deputy Attorney General highlighted that Justice Torkornoo was represented by different lawyers in the two cases. While she filed her statement of case in one of them, she failed to do so in the other for over a year. On May 28, 2026, the Supreme Court decided to consolidate the two cases and adjourned the matter for judgment, granting Justice Torkornoo permission to file her statement at any time before the judgment.
On the day of the consolidation, one of Justice Torkornoo's lawyers was present in court, while the other had communicated his intention to withdraw from the case via a letter. Subsequently, on June 23, 2026, the present lawyer filed an application requesting the Supreme Court to review its consolidation order, arguing that Justice Torkornoo was not afforded a hearing prior to the decision.
The application also contended that the consolidation was inappropriate because one of her lawyers was not physically present in court when the order was given. However, on June 25, 2026, the Attorney General filed an affidavit opposing the review application, arguing that the application lacked merit, as Justice Torkornoo had been properly represented and provided an opportunity to present her case.
On June 26, 2026, Justice Torkornoo's lawyer filed a notice to withdraw the review application. The Supreme Court has scheduled July 2, 2026, to resolve all outstanding issues in the four remaining cases.