Hearing of petitions to suspend the Chief Justice (CJ), Getrude Torkonoo will begin today, Thursday, May 15.President John Dramani Mahama suspended the CJ on April 22 following a prima facie case against her from the civil society group (Shining Stars of Ghana) and a police officer.In response, the President set up a five-member committee under Article 146(6) of the 1992 Constitution to investigate the petitions and give its verdict on the matter.The panel is chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, and includes Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu-Asiedu, former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo, Major Flora Bazwaanura Dalugo of the Ghana Armed Forces, and Associate Professor James Sefah Dzisah of the University of Ghana.The CJ's temporary removal from office has sparked widespread criticism, especially from the opposition party, New Patriotic Party (NPP) and other allied political groups.The NPP and the groups demonstrated on Monday, May 5, over what they claim is a politically motivated agenda by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

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Last week, the Supreme Court threw out an interlocutory injunction application filed by Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah who is represented by former Attorney General Godfred Dame, to halt the process for the removal of the Chief Justice.

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The court will, on May 21, give reasons for its ruling that came by a 3-2 majority decision. The judges who dismissed the injunction request were Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Justice Yonny Kulendi and Justice Amadu Tanko. Those in opposition were Justice Henrietta Mensah Bonsu and Justice Ernest Gaewu.

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