The President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Efua Ghartey, has strongly criticised the recent suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, describing it as a "troubling precedent" that imperils the integrity of Ghana’s democratic institutions.

Ghartey made these remarks on Monday, June 30, 2025, at the annual Martyrs’ Day commemoration in Accra, where she called for national reconciliation and a renewed respect for the rule of law.

Responding to the President's prima facie determination that led to Justice Torkornoo’s suspension, Efua Ghartey stated that the circumstances surrounding the decision have sparked widespread concern and necessitate sober national reflection.

“All the various calls made for a reconsideration of the suspension of the Chief Justice must not be ignored. In these circumstances, it sets a poor precedent. And that precedent will not go unheeded,” she emphasised.

Ghartey stressed the critical need for Ghanaians to embrace reconciliation and resist the temptation to settle personal scores through attacks on institutions.

"We should be careful as a nation not to go down the slippery slope of endless revenge by justifying various acts with the refrain, 'but others did that too.' We then rose as a nation from the ashes like the phoenix and decided to conscientiously do better by making Ghana's democracy and penchant for the rule of law admirable and attractive to many worldwide," she explained.

She further asserted that an independent judiciary, in its true sense, serves as a bulwark for all who seek justice and must be jealously protected.

The judiciary's foremost attraction, she added, should be its glaring independent nature, credibility, and transparency, which are guaranteed by provisions in the 1992 Constitution.

The Martyrs’ Day event was held in solemn memory of Justices Fred Poku Sarkodee, Cecilia Koranteng-Addow, and Kwadwo Agyei Agyapong, as well as Major Sam Acquah (Rtd), all of whom were abducted and murdered on June 30, 1982.

This annual observance honours their legacy and reaffirms the nation’s commitment to justice, courage, and judicial independence.

JKB/VPO

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