Suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo has vehemently denied all allegations of corruption leveled against her, asserting a flawless record throughout her distinguished career in law and the judiciary.
Addressing allegations of corruption in a press briefing today, the suspended Chief Justice firmly denied any wrongdoing, asserting her spotless record throughout her legal and judicial career.
“I am confident that in my journey as a lawyer, judge and now Chief Justice, there is no one person who can look at me in the eye and accuse me of taking a bribe to decide a case,” she declared.
Justice Torkonoo also clarified issues surrounding travel expenses that have been the subject of scrutiny.
She explained that traveling with her husband and daughter is part of her official conditions of service as Chief Justice, and that the per diem paid to her family members is in accordance with the Judicial Service travel policy.
“The per diem paid to my family is provided for in the Judicial Service travel policy. The rate of per diem is not set or administered by the Chief Justice,” she said.
She further denied any misappropriation of funds related to travel tickets, stating that she was not responsible for purchasing the tickets in question.
“I was also not responsible for buying the tickets in question, such that I could be said to have ‘misappropriated’ the value of the tickets,” she added.
On the issue of financial accountability, Justice Torkonoo refuted claims that she refused to account for an imprest of US$14,000 given to her for travel.
She revealed that she spent US$4,400 and returned the remaining US$9,600 to the finance directorate within two days of her return to Ghana.
“I didn’t refuse to retire accountable imprest of US$14,000 that I was given when I travelled. I spent US$4,400 and handed over US$9,600 to the finance directorate two days after I returned to Ghana,” she affirmed.
The suspended Chief Justice’s statements come amid heightened tensions within the judiciary and ongoing debates about judicial independence and governance reforms.
The government has yet to issue an official response to her allegations.
By: Kwadwo Owusu
