A private legal practitioner, James Kofi Afedo, has formally petitioned the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate, arrest, and prosecute the immediate past Chief Justice of Ghana, Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey-Torkornoo, over allegations of financial impropriety.
In his petition, Mr. Afedo accused the former Chief Justice of willfully causing financial loss to the state and misapplying public funds during her tenure as head of the Judicial Service.
“I write as a concerned citizen of Ghana to humbly petition your high and respected office for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the former Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey-Torkornoo, for willfully causing financial loss to the state and willfully or negligently misapplying public funds entrusted to her as the head of the Judicial Service of Ghana,” portions of the petition stated.
According to him, Justice Torkornoo allegedly used Judicial Service funds in 2023 to cover travel expenses and per diem allowances for her husband during a private holiday trip to Tanzania. He argued that this action contravened Section 96(1)(c) and (d) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).
Mr. Afedo further alleged that the former Chief Justice also facilitated a similar arrangement for her daughter’s travel to the United States, again using state funds to pay for both her expenses and per diem throughout the trip.
The petition calls on EOCO to treat the matter with urgency, stressing that no public official should be allowed to abuse state resources without accountability.
