Suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has filed a supplementary affidavit in her ongoing case, alleging severe violations of her fundamental rights by the committee currently probing three petitions for her removal from office.
In the affidavit dated May 26, Mrs. Torkornoo contends that her constitutional rights to a fair trial have been “completely desecrated.” She further asserts that she has been subjected to “violation of my dignity and subjection to inhuman and degrading treatment,” which, according to her, has not even been experienced by accused persons facing charges as serious as treason.
Mrs. Torkornoo’s affidavit outlines multiple grievances regarding the conduct of the committee’s proceedings.
She highlights that her husband and children have been denied access to the hearing room.
Additionally, she has been subjected to body searches, and both she and her legal team have been denied access to telephones and laptops during hearings while counsel for the petitioners have reportedly retained access to their own devices.
The affidavit also draws attention to the unusual location of the hearings. According to Mrs. Torkornoo, all previous Article 146 proceedings have taken place within judicial facilities, specifically the Courts Complex.
However, her current hearings are being conducted in a high-security zone at the Castle, Osu, a venue she describes as inappropriate and bewildering.
Mrs. Torkornoo argues that these actions demonstrate a “deliberate effort to subject me to mental torture and degrading treatment in violation of my fundamental rights.”
She emphasizes that the treatment she is receiving goes beyond standard legal protocols and is not justified by the nature of the proceedings.
The committee has yet to issue a formal response to the supplementary affidavit.
