GBA urged to establish the motive for the murder of three judges

Kumasi, June 30, GNA - Mr Justice Nicholas Yaw Boafo Adade, a retired Supreme Court Judge, has called on members of the bar and the bench to complete the records by establishing the motive for the murder of the three high court judges and the army officer some 24 years ago. He said this would help to identify the conspirators who might still be at large at least for the benefit of generations to come, even if there might be no appetite to prosecute them.

Delivering a lecture to mark the 24th Martyrs Day celebration organized by the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) in Kumasi on Thursday, Mr Justice Adade said, "After all, crime has no expiry date and we should not prejudice whatever the action the future may suggest by failing to put all available material together and preserved".

The three judges are Mr Justice Fred Poku Sarkodie, Mrs Justice Cecilia Koranteng-Addow, Mr Justice Kwadwo Agyei Agyepong and a retired army officer, Major Acquah.

Speaking on the topic: "Silver Jubilee Goals", Mr Justice Adade said as the GBA celebrate the 25th year of the event next year, it should lobby the government and the people of Ghana to have the images of the judges on the 5,000-cedi notes in the country.

He said though the judiciary and the bar have erected three statutes of the judges in their honour in front of the Supreme Court building in Accra, they lacked "a national focus".

He said as they plan to celebrate the martyrs day next year, the Bar must not only try to get the images on the currency note but should also assist the government to resolve water and electricity problems facing people as part of reducing poverty in the country. Mr Justice Adade said there was the need for them to also use their professional expertise in collaboration with ministries and other stakeholders to mobilize resources to solve water problems facing rural communities by next year.

Touching on electricity as a way to reduce poverty in the country, the retired Supreme Court Judge said equal charges per unit of service for consumers could not be a good policy for the utility. This, he said, impacted unfairly and inequitably on the poor and the disadvantaged and also undermined the fight against poverty. He stressed the need for members of the association to take a bit more interest in the working of the law-making body. Mr Justice Adade said by so doing they would be contributing their quota in assisting Parliament in pursuit of good governance.