Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo has dismissed claims by Professor Raymond Atuguba, an Associate Law professor at the University of Ghana that political appointments have an influence on decisions by the judiciary.
According to the Chief Justice, “under the constitution, a judge will be appointed during somebody’s time… and that somebody will belong to one party or the other.”
The decisions taken after such appointments by the judges, she said, were subject to any political interpretation by anyone.
“But so long as it is in line with the law and it is sound and follows the facts,” the Chief Justice.
She cautioned the professor against comparing foreign judicial systems to Ghana’s, saying “be careful what you’re importing into our environment, they are used to that, we are not.”
The insinuation that some decisions by the Supreme Court are in favour of political parties who appoint those judges was the core of the professor’s delivery in a research he conducted on 100 court cases.
Prof Atuguba claimed that “somehow, the Supreme Court lost its way after the first years and the judgments started becoming clear on the lines of party appointments.”
Citing the recent Abu Ramadan and Woyome cases, Professor Atuguba noted that the trend was changing again and said: “the supreme court is finding its feet again, where it is giving unanimous judgments on the basis of the law and not the source of the appointment.”
He was quick to add that the possibility of such a change in the Supreme Court decisions could be attributed to the public interest that resulted in scrutiny and eventually, transparency in how the judgment was delivered.
Overall, the data revealed that 14 out of 22 National Democratic Congress (NDC) appointees, making up 64 percent of the party’s appointees to the Supreme Court have given judgment in favour of the NDC.
On the other hand, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had 13 of its 16 judges giving judgments in favour of the party.
Essentially, the NDC, since the beginning of the fourth republic, had appointed 15 percent more justices to the Supreme Court than the NPP, according to the professor.
Professor Atuguba was speaking at the GIMPA law conference held at GIMPA in Accra.
The program which was organized as part of annual conferences presents the platform to gather a community of scholars and academics, experts and practitioners to critically review trends, emerging developments and challenges confronting the law in specific fields.
It was also attended by some key figures in the judicial community such as many lawyers and Justices including Justice Emile Short, Former Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana Justice V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe, and Paramount Chief of the Asokore Traditional Area, Dr. Nana S.K.B. Asante, who acted as chairman.
Source: Ghanaweb.com
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THE CHIEF JUSTICE SHOULD TELL US THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MONTIE THREE AND THE INVINCIBLE FORCES THAT ATTACKED THE COURT JUDGE IN KUMASI. I THINK THE MONTIE 3 CASE WAS MILDER THAN THE KUMASI CASE. THE CJ PRESIDED OVER THE MONTIE 3 CASE AND SENTENCE THEM TO JAIL AND SOME HEAVY FINES. SHE EVEN EXTENDED THE FINES TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE FM STATION IN WHICH THEY PASSED THOSE COMMENTS.HOWEVER, UNDER HER WATCH AS THE CJ NPP ELEMENTS INVADED A COURT, ATTACKED THE JUDGE AND FREED THEIR COLLEAGUES,BUT ARE ROAMING FREELY. SO, THIS RESEARCH ONLY COMES TO CONFIRM WHAT MANY GHANAIANS ARE THINKING. THE CJ SHOULD GIVE US A BREAK. SHE IS THE FIRST CJ WHO DISPLAYS OPEN PARTISANSHIP IN HANDLING ISSUES. A RECENT EXAMPLE IS HER UTTERANCES AGAINST THE NDC MPs DESCRIBING THEM AS DISHONORABLE. SHE IS SIMPLY AN EMBARRASSMENT OF A CJ AND SHOULD VACATE HER SIT, SHE IS NOT FIT TO BE THERE, SHE'S TOOOO PARTISAN, SHE IS ALSO A DICTATOR, THE SPEAKER IS DICTATOR TOO. @ WALTER, I AGREE WITH YOU 1000%. THE OCCULT MISTRESS CJ SHOULD GIVE US A BREAK.
THE CHIEF JUSTICE SHOULD TELL US THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MONTIE THREE AND THE INVINCIBLE FORCES THAT ATTACKED THE COURT JUDGE IN KUMASI. I THINK THE MONTIE 3 CASE WAS MILDER THAN THE KUMASI CASE. THE CJ PRESIDED OVER THE MONTIE 3 CASE AND SENTENCE THEM TO JAIL AND SOME HEAVY FINES. SHE EVEN EXTENDED THE FINES TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE FM STATION IN WHICH THEY PASSED THOSE COMMENTS.HOWEVER, UNDER HER WATCH AS THE CJ NPP ELEMENTS INVADED A COURT, ATTACKED THE JUDGE AND FREED THEIR COLLEAGUES,BUT ARE ROAMING FREELY. SO, THIS RESEARCH ONLY COMES TO CONFIRM WHAT MANY GHANAIANS ARE THINKING. THE CJ SHOULD GIVE US A BREAK. SHE IS THE FIRST CJ WHO DISPLAYS OPEN PARTISANSHIP IN HANDLING ISSUES. A RECENT EXAMPLE IS HER UTTERANCES AGAINST THE NDC MPs DESCRIBING THEM AS DISHONORABLE. SHE IS SIMPLY AN EMBARRASSMENT OF A CJ AND SHOULD ***barred word***.
TH IEF JUSTICE SOPHIA AKUFO
***barred word*** JUSTICE SOPHIA AKUFO
this guy want to justify the decision of Justice Atugubah in the recent supreme court case on the election petition. the justice performed poorly and rather shamefully. it becomes very difficult to say that because of politics. he was simply influence rather shamefully. i am disappointed that in protecting your uncle you are humiliating yourself.
Even sitting from afar we all know it is true that Ghanaian judges are influenced by politicians and money. In this country, judges are quick to jail poor men but will use law to frustrate the cases of politicians and rich men. How com e we cannot bring finality to Woyome's case? It is because of his political lineage. How come KKD was not jailed when he raped the girl? Meanwhile other people have been jailed fro so many years in the same rape offence. Leave the professor alone and come out with your findings if you think he was biased. The truth is bitter!
Which party appointed which judge with what election petition verdict?
That guy Atuguba is a crook' and Criminall'y minded. Who is he to advise us if he had any good advice he should have done that before the 2012 election petition judgment and he must be careful with his utterances. We support the judges of our land and must administer justices without fear or favor. WHO IS THAT BOY CALLED ATUGUBA?
This Atuguba is over pampered by the incompetent Ghanaian media. How do you use a just mere descriptive study to establish a relationship? Jesus Christ!!! Ghana is in trouble. Because his uncle didn't get the CJ position?
YOUR UNCLE SHOUTED AND INSULTED SIR JOHN BUT FINALLY TOOK BRIBE TO TWIST ELECTION PETITION JUDGEMENT. IF YOU ARE A PROFESSOR, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU KNOW EVERYTHING UNDER THE LAW. BE HUMBLE AND LEARN MORE.