Okudzeto backs CJ's wig fiat

Member of the Council of State, Samuel Awuku Okudzeto, has backed the directive by Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo to all judges to wear gowns and wigs in court.

A memo signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Alex B. Poku-Acheampong, dated October 23, 2017 read that: “Her Ladyship the Chief Justice has directed that with effect from 1st November, 2017, all judges are to wear wigs during court sittings.”

The memo explained that the decision was taken to preserve the tradition and the uniqueness of the work of judges and the legal profession.

Private legal practitioner, Ace Anan Ankomah, has described the directive as “thousand steps backwards” but Mr Okudzeto disagrees and said the directive is in the right direction.

Mr Okudzeto told Valentina Ofori-Afriyie in an interview on 505 on Class91.3FM on Wednesday, 1 November, 2017 that: “Ace Ankomah can sometimes exaggerate situations and I don’t see what 1000 years back has got to do with wearing wigs and gowns.”

He further added that: “When the lawyers are being enrolled, they all enjoy when their parents see them fully robbed in their gowns and in their wigs. That’s the pride the family get. I know some people who want to be lawyers who don’t even want to go to court, but all they are interested in is to wear that wig and gown so that, that distinctive mark should be upon them. This is not 1000 times backwards. In most events, countries that came from the same colonial tradition, we all wear wigs and gowns and nobody is crying over it, so I don’t know what the crying is all about?”

The wearing of wigs is expected to provide the needed protection and anonymity for judges and enhance personal security.