What the records say about the only woman among the three murdered judges

Justice Cecilia Koranteng-Addow, the only woman among Ghana's three murdered High Court judges, continues to be celebrated as one of the country's most influential jurists more than four decades after her death.

In a publication by legal practitioner, Emmanuella Naa Aklerh Okantey, on The Law Platform, released on June 30, 2026, to mark the 44th anniversary of the abduction and murder of Justices Frederick Poku Sarkodee, Cecilia Koranteng-Addow and Kwadwo Agyei Agyepong, the late judge was described as a jurist whose legacy continues to shape Ghana's legal system.

According to Okantey, Justice Koranteng-Addow distinguished herself through intellectual rigour, fearless independence and judicial opinions noted for their clarity, precision and commitment to the rule of law.

A judge known for clear and persuasive reasoning

Okantey noted that one of Justice Koranteng-Addow's defining qualities was her style, which avoided unnecessary legal complexity while remaining firmly grounded in legal principles.

Rather than relying on technical language, her judgments identified legal issues plainly, examined the applicable law and precedents, and arrived at reasoned conclusions that could be understood by both lawyers and non-lawyers.

According to the publication, she believed the authority of a judgment depended not on complicated language but on the strength of its reasoning.

Defending constitutional accountability

Among her most celebrated decisions was Republic v Minister for the Interior; Ex parte Bombelli, a landmark administrative law case involving a deportation order issued by the Minister for the Interior.

In that judgment, Justice Koranteng-Addow held that although ministers exercised broad statutory powers, those powers were not beyond judicial scrutiny.

She maintained that courts had a duty to ensure public officials acted within the limits of the law and in good faith.

One of the judgment's most enduring statements declared that the Constitution was designed to ensure "the people are ruled by law and not by men," a principle that has since become a cornerstone of Ghana's constitutional jurisprudence.

Protecting fair trial rights

The publication also highlighted her judgment in Mensah and Others v The Republic, where she carefully examined convictions for sedition.

Justice Koranteng-Addow ruled that prosecutors had to prove every element of a criminal offence with credible evidence and cautioned against courts relying on assumptions or taking judicial notice of disputed facts.

She stressed that judicial notice should only apply to facts that were universally accepted or capable of immediate verification, warning that it could not be used to compensate for weaknesses in the prosecution's case.

According to Okantey, the decision reinforced the principle that criminal convictions must be based on evidence rather than speculation.

Championing personal liberty

Another landmark decision cited was Republic v Director of Prisons; Ex parte Lloyd Shackleford, in which Justice Koranteng-Addow reaffirmed the importance of the writ of habeas corpus.

Faced with a disputed warrant of commitment, she insisted that the State bore the burden of proving the legality of a person's detention before relying on constitutional protections for actions taken by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).

3 judges murdered 38 years ago remembered

Rejecting attempts to rely on assumptions, she ruled that the authenticity of the warrant had to be established through evidence, observing that "a man's signature is not something you can take judicial notice of."

She ultimately ordered the applicant's release after finding that the State had failed to prove the legality of the detention.

A legacy that continues to shape legal education

According to Okantey, Justice Koranteng-Addow's judgments remain essential reading in Ghana's law faculties because of their clarity and disciplined legal reasoning.

Okantey emphasized that Koranteng-Addow’s decisions continue to be used by lecturers and practitioners as examples of effective judicial writing and sound legal analysis.

Rather than seeking to impress through elaborate language, her judgments demonstrated that the true authority of the courts lies in careful reasoning, fairness and fidelity to the law.

An enduring influence

She concluded that Justice Koranteng-Addow's influence extends far beyond the cases she decided.

Her body of work, she argued, remains a benchmark for judicial excellence, demonstrating that constitutional rights, personal liberty and the rule of law must always be protected through thoughtful and principled decision-making.

As Ghana's courts continue to confront complex constitutional and governance issues, her judgments remain a lasting guide for judges, lawyers and students alike; cementing her place as one of the country's most respected judicial figures.