Judges are not immune to criticism, but you do not insult them – Inusah Fuseini

Ghanaian lawyer Inusah Fuseini says although the court is not immune from criticisms, people should be measured in their utterances.

The lawyer indicated that judges are humans and their work is subject to criticism, but their critics must avoid insulting them or using denigrating words at them.

The lawyer was responding to a question about whether someone could be charged with contempt for describing something as stupid.

In his response, he stated that the case involving Prof. Kpessa-Whyte and the Supreme Court was still pending, so he would not want to make direct comments about the case.

However, the lawyer, in his submission, posited that we must respect our courts and the judges.

"I do not want to make comments about this case. The case is pending, and I would ask that he goes to the court and explain to them what he meant by stupid. I have read his response, and he claimed he did not refer to Ghana’s Supreme Court. He should go and explain himself.”

"However, let me state that you may criticise the court. As a lawyer, you spend your school years reading and critiquing decisions. You’re looking at the principles they used. You examine consistency, certainty, and predictability, as well as legal reasoning, in order to understand the departure. This is what the law is all about. This is everything you’ve learned and much more. You can’t go after the judge personally.”

When his attention was drawn to the fact that the word stupid was used in reference to the court rather than a judge, he stated that humans serve as judges in the court.

"In the court, human beings work. The judges are not immune to criticism, but you must criticise them based on their decision.”