Renowned private legal practitioner and historian, Anokye Frimpong, has delivered sharp criticism against suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Sackey Torkornoo over her decision to sue the government of Ghana at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice.
Justice Torkornoo, who is currently facing three petitions for her removal from office, recently filed a suit at the ECOWAS Court, challenging her suspension and demanding $10 million in compensation—a move that has sparked nationwide debate.
Speaking in an interview with GBC on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, Anokye Frimpong described the action as premature, excessive, and harmful to Ghana’s reputation. He questioned both the legal timing and ethical motivation behind the suspended Chief Justice’s lawsuit.
“Going to ECOWAS, I believe it’s 100% premature,” Frimpong asserted, expressing disbelief over the $10 million claim. “If it is possible to get that money, it means you are collapsing the economy of Ghana. Ask yourself whether you have seen $1 million before, and you want your country to pay you $10 million? It means you do not have any respect for the economy of the country.”
He argued that the Chief Justice should have first exhausted all domestic avenues before turning to an external court. According to Frimpong, there are respected national figures—both religious and traditional—who could have mediated the matter discreetly and constructively.
“We have certain personalities like Cardinal Appiah Turkson, Archbishop Palmer-Buckle, Duncan-Williams, the Asantehene, the National Chief Imam and other high-level individuals who could have worked things out without the embarrassment of going to ECOWAS,” he said.
Frimpong further contended that the decision to approach ECOWAS was not only tactically flawed but also damaging to Ghana’s international image. He warned that such actions signal to the global community that Ghana’s judiciary may not be capable of handling its own internal legal matters, particularly those concerning human rights.
“When you get there, you are embarrassing the country to the extent that you’re telling the whole world that Ghana’s judicial system is not enough to deal with human rights and other matters,” he added.
The lawsuit by Justice Torkornoo comes amid a politically sensitive atmosphere, as the petitions for her removal and her suspension have already ignited a fierce public conversation on judicial independence, accountability, and due process.
Anokye Frimpong’s remarks add a new layer to that discourse—one that questions not just legal merit, but also national dignity, economic implications, and the importance of resolving sensitive matters within Ghana’s own legal and cultural structures.
This remains a developing story, with reactions continuing to pour in from across the political and legal spectrum.
