Ghana's President Mahama suspends chief justice Gertrude Torkornoo

Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama has suspended chief justice Gertrude Torkornoo with immediate effect and initiated an investigation in response to three petitions filed against her, according to a statement.

After consultations with the Council of State, the president "determined that a prima facie case has been established" and a committee has been set up to look at the petitions, according to the statement from his office.

The statement did not give details of the accusations in each petition. Ghana's presidential office could not be immediately reached for further comments.

Torkornoo, Ghana's third female justice, was nominated by former president Nana Akufo-Addo and has held the position since June 2023.

Torkornoo survived a removal request earlier this year when Akufo-Addo said a petition to have her removed from the bench had "several deficiencies".