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Embattled Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Gertrude Sackey Torkonoo, has defended the payment of travel expenses, accommodation, and per diems for her spouse and daughter by the Judicial Service.
Her defence was outlined in her official response to President John Dramani Mahama regarding the three petitions seeking her removal from office.
According to one of the petitions, filed by Daniel Ofori, it was alleged that:
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In 2023, the Honourable Chief Justice misappropriated the sum of GHS 261,890.00 in public funds for her private foreign travel with her husband, Mr Francis Kofi Torkornoo, and her daughter, Miss Edem S.A. Torkornoo, along with US$30,000 in per diem allowances, despite knowing that neither her husband nor daughter were entitled to have their travel or allowances paid from Judicial Service funds.
The petitioner further claimed:
In 2023, the Honourable Chief Justice misappropriated GHS 75,580.00 from public funds to purchase Ethiopian Airlines tickets for herself and her husband during her vacation to Arusha, Tanzania.
He added:
In 2023, Her Ladyship the Honourable Chief Justice obtained an accountable imprest of US$14,000 from the Judicial Service to travel with her husband to Arusha, Tanzania, which she failed to retire.
The petition contains 18 other allegations.
However, in her response, cited by Pulse News, the Chief Justice described the accusations as unfortunate. She stated:
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On page 1 of Exhibit DO 4, the Judicial Secretary clarified that, as Chief Justice, I opted to utilise the authorisation in paragraphs 9 and 10 of the Travel Policy to travel with my spouse and daughter during my two holidays in September 2023—pursuant to the conditions of my appointment as Chief Justice.
She further explained:
I wish to state that, as Chief Justice, I neither purchase travel tickets nor determine the per diem issued to me or to aides, security personnel, or others required to travel with me. Neither do I authorise the per diem payments made to me for any journey.
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These per diem amounts are determined in accordance with the rates set by the Article 71 Committee on Emoluments for the Chief Justice of the Republic. They are administered by the Judicial Secretary and the Director of Finance of the Judicial Service.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Torkonoo has been suspended by President John Dramani Mahama, following consultations with the Council of State.
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