Three murdered High Court Judges remembered

Accra, June 30, GNA - The Reverend Professor Elom Dovlo, Vice Dean, Faculty of Arts University of Ghana on Monday urged the Bar and the Bench to continue to guard the conscience of the people by ensuring justice, democracy and peace. "Justice, democracy and peace was more relevant to us today than ever before."

Rev. Prof. Dovlo who was delivering a sermon at the 26th Martyrs Day Remembrance Service for the three murdered High Court Judges in Accra said justice in all spheres of life must be continuous and not be limited to a particular time.

Mr Justice Fred Poku Sarkodee, Mrs Justice Cecilia Koranteng Addow, Mr Justice Kwadwo Agyei Agyepong and Major Acquah, a retired army officer on June 30, 1982 during curfew hours were abducted from their homes and savagely murdered.

The bodies of the hapless persons were apparently doused with petrol and set on fire. But divine intervention through raindrops that night quenched the burning bodies and when finally discovered, the bodies were in a state of decomposition.

For the past twenty-six years the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and the Bench had mourned the death of the three High Court Judges as the martyrs of the rule of law.

Rev. Prof. Dovlo expressed concern that the nation's airwaves had become too much burrowed in politics, chieftaincy, ethnicity and religious fanaticism which, he noted, were not good for cohesion and development.

He called for constructive dialogue among all sections of society to bring about understanding to ensure peace and development for the people.

Rev. Prof. Dovlo also said this year's elections marks the crossroads in the country's political history and thus urged politicians to conduct their activities with circumspection. He called for the Lords healing for the bereaved families who were greatly affected by the abduction and murder of the judges and charged people in positions of authority to emulate the qualities of Christ which he said ensured justice for all. Those who attended the function included the Chief Justice, Mrs Justice Georgina Wood, Mr Joe Ghartey, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Ministers of States, Nana Akufo-Addo, Flag bearer of the NPP, members of the Judiciary, the GBA and family members of the three judges.