Legal practitioner and former presidential aide, Kow Abaka Essuman, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to immediately release the full report of the committee that recommended the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Sackey Torkornoo.

According to Mr. Essuman, constitutional principles and judicial precedent demand that the report, along with related documents such as petitions, witness testimonies, and the Chief Justice’s responses, be made public to ensure transparency and accountability.

His call follows President Mahama’s formal removal of Justice Torkornoo from office on Monday, September 1, in line with Article 146(9) of the 1992 Constitution.

The move, which marked the end of her career on the Supreme Court bench, has sparked widespread debate over the fairness of the process and the independence of the Judiciary.

Mr. Essuman argued that while Article 146(8) requires committee proceedings to be held in camera, confidentiality ends once the committee submits its report to the President.

Citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Dery v. Tiger Eye P.I. & Others (2015–2016), he stressed that Ghanaians have a constitutional right to access the report now that the proceedings are concluded.

“The public is not completely denied the right to know,” he noted, “but once the committee’s work is completed and its report submitted, the obligation of confidentiality dissolves.”

The lawyer pointed to precedents under former President Akufo-Addo, who released full reports on Article 146 petitions and other sensitive inquiries, including the KPMG audit into SML.

He argued that Mahama must follow the same path of transparency to safeguard the reputation of both the Judiciary and the Presidency.

Reports indicate that several high-profile figures, including former Chief Justices Sophia Akuffo and Kwasi Anin Yeboah, as well as prominent legal luminaries, testified before the committee.

Mr. Essuman said the public deserved to know the evidentiary basis upon which the Chief Justice was removed, describing it as a matter of “constitutional principle” rather than mere public curiosity.

He concluded by insisting that releasing the report was not only a legal obligation but a democratic necessity:
“Transparency is not a threat to justice. It is its lifeblood. Let the truth come to light.”