Erroneous to think my role as Torkornoo’s lawyer affects injunction application against removal – Godfred Dame – Nsemkeka
Former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame has strongly rejected suggestions that his legal representation of suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo in her injunction application creates any conflict of interest.
The remarks come amid criticism from legal experts including Prof Kwaku Ansah-Asare, Director of the Ghana School of Law, who argue Dame’s involvement complicates the case given his previous role in Torkornoo’s appointment.
Prof Ansah-Asare argued that this creates poor optics for the suspended Chief Justice’s case, given that Gertrude Torkornoo was appointed to her office during Mr. Dame’s tenure as Attorney General and the former President’s official legal advisor.
But speaking exclusively on Joy FM’s Newsnite program, Mr Dame dismissed these claims as baseless and completely unfounded.
According to him, his involvement goes beyond Justice Torkornoo as an individual, adding that it’s about challenging the unconstitutional manner in which he says this petition process has been handled.
He insisted that the reliefs he is seeking are purely constitutional in nature.
The former Attorney General argued that his decision to take up the case aligns with his longstanding commitment to upholding the rule of law.
He maintained that the legal action focuses on procedural irregularities in the suspension process rather than personal allegiances.
Legal analysts note the case raises critical questions about judicial independence and executive authority under Ghana’s 1992 Constitution. The injunction application specifically challenges President Mahama’s suspension order issued under Article 146, arguing it violates due process protections.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule imminently on the application, which seeks to both halt the removal committee’s proceedings and suspend the Chief Justice’s suspension warrant.
The committee includes several high-profile members such as Justices Gabriel Pwamang and Samuel Adibu-Asiedu, as well as former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo.
This development comes just weeks after Chief Justice Torkornoo’s controversial suspension on April 22, 2025, following misconduct allegations. As Ghana’s first female Chief Justice in over a decade, her case has drawn significant public and legal scrutiny.