The Article 146 committee probing three petitions for the removal of suspended Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, has submitted its report on the first petition to President John Dramani Mahama.
“President John Dramani Mahama received, this morning, the first report of the Article 146 Committee of Inquiry, which is probing three petitions seeking the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo,” the Presidency said in a statement on Monday.
According to the statement, the committee heard evidence from 13 witnesses on behalf of the petitioner, Daniel Ofori. The Chief Justice, who also testified and was cross-examined, is said to have called 12 witnesses, including experts. In all, the panel said it received about 10,000 pages of documentary exhibits from both sides. Each side was represented by four lawyers.
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“After critical and dispassionate examination and assessment of all the evidence, including the expert evidence against the provisions of the Constitution and the relevant laws, we have, without fear or favour, arrived at a recommendation on the first petition,” Justice Gabriel Pwamang, the Chairperson of the Committee, said when they presented the report at a brief ceremony at the Presidency.
He also indicated that the second petitioner, as well as the Chief Justice, requested an adjournment of the second petition, which the committee granted. “Accordingly, we shall be reporting on the second and third petitions in due time,” he said.
The Chief Justice was suspended on April 22 after the Council of State found a prima facie case against three petitions calling for her removal.
For now, the committee says it has completed work on one of the petitions submitted by Daniel Ofori. It is not immediately clear if the contents of the first petition may be grounds enough to remove Justice Torkornoo.