Lawyers call for tight security for judges

Takoradi, July 1, GNA - The Sekondi-Takoradi branch of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has said security should be strengthened for judges and their families. Making the call at a lecture held on Thursday in Takoradi to commemorate the 28th anniversary of the murder of three High Court Judges and an army officer, the lawyers said judges must be provided with tight security both at their residences and the courts just as high ranking officials in the country.

They said they feared judges, especially those presiding over challenging political and social cases, could suffer similar fate. "How do we protect our judges now? Must we experience another murder before strengthening security for our judges? In 1982, Mrs Justice Cecilia Koranteng-Addo, Mr Justice Fred Poku Sarkodie and Mr Justice Kojo Adjei Agyapong, all High Court judges and retired army officer Major Acquah, were kidnapped from their homes and murdered.

In his lecture Mr Justice Derrik D. Gwira, a past president of the Western Regional branch of the GBA, called on legal practitioners and judges to let the bravery of the murdered judges manifest in dealing with challenging cases by exhibiting professionalism, resisting influence as well as applying the rule of law.

He called on legal practitioners especially juniors, to exhibit professionalism and good conduct in and outside the courts in order to maintain standards and project the good image of the profession. "Sometimes our conduct at the bar is not good," he said. Mr Justice Gwira criticized the way some lawyers dress to court these days and said if this is not checked, junior lawyers would dress anyhow to court.

Some of the junior lawyers at the lecture however challenged the call and accused their seniors of contributing to their supposed improper dressing as they (seniors) take most of their legal fees.