Former Director of the Ghana School of Law, Kwaku Ansa-Asare, has commended several prominent legal figures for their unwavering integrity in the face of political pressure. Specifically, he lauded former Chief Justices Georgina Wood and Sophia Akuffo, as well as Justices Stephen Alan Brobbey and Dickson Kwame Afreh, for standing firm.
Ansa-Asare revealed that these individuals resisted alleged attempts by former President John Agyekum Kufuor to influence the composition of the Supreme Court through potentially partisan appointments. He recalled discussions about court-packing under Kufuor’s administration and cited the case of Tsatsu Tsikata versus the Republic as an example.
During a discussion on Accra-based Class FM, Ansa-Asare expressed surprise at Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo’s letter advocating for the addition of five more judges to the Supreme Court, bringing the total to 20. He compared this to countries like the United States, Canada, and Britain, which have fewer judges in their highest courts.
Pointing to Article 121(1) of the Constitution, Ansa-Asare emphasized that the Supreme Court, including the Chief Justice, should have no fewer than nine judges, with a minimum of 10. While there is no specified maximum number, the President is allowed to appoint up to fifteen judges.
Expressing concern, Ansa-Asare alleged that some judges were promoted over their seniors at the bar due to personal connections with the President. He accused the President of disregarding the rule of law and highlighted the lack of sufficient public outrage as a contributing factor.
In conclusion, Ansa-Asare called attention to the importance of upholding the constitution and preventing any undue influence on the judiciary for the sake of justice and fairness in Ghana.
