'Has he breached any code?' - Adawudu defends CJ over trip to support the Black Stars

Victor Kwadjoga Adawudu, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) legal team, has come to the defence of Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie amid criticism from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over his trip to Canada to support the Black Stars during Ghana’s FIFA World Cup campaign.

The controversy followed the circulation of videos and photos showing the Chief Justice alongside Vice President Prof Jane Opoku-Agyemang during her visit to the Ghanaian team ahead of their Group L clash against Panama.

The NPP has also raised concerns about the Chief Justice’s participation in events linked to some NDC members, arguing that such appearances could affect public perceptions of judicial independence.

Speaking on Citi FM on June 17, 2026, Adawudu rejected those concerns, insisting there was no evidence that the Chief Justice had violated any ethical or legal standards.

He described his support for the national team as a patriotic gesture rather than a political act.

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“Has the Chief Justice breached any code of ethics for a judge? Has he breached any code governing office holders? I don’t think he has,” Adawudu stated.

He stressed that the Chief Justice’s visit was not solely for the purpose of watching football, noting that other engagements had already been scheduled during his stay.

“The mere fact that he has been patriotic and gone to wish the Black Stars well and give them moral support, I don’t think that is a problem. The Chief Justice did not travel just to watch the World Cup. He has other activities that have been lined up,” he added.

Adawudu further argued that attending the match and interacting with government officials should not be interpreted as proof of bias or an indication that justice would be compromised.

“If he is in that jurisdiction and decides, as a Ghanaian, to go and watch the match and exchange pleasantries with other officials, you cannot conclude that because of that proximity, people will not get justice or there will be no fairness. I think that is far from fair,” he said.

He dismissed the criticism as politically motivated, accusing the opposition of attempting to create a controversy where none exists.

“I think that this is just something that they want to make a mountain out of a molehill. The NPP has always been looking out for a scandal, anything that they can lay their hands on, any resemblance of collaboration on political matters that can be turned into a scandal,” Adawudu remarked.

According to him, cordial relations between the Chief Justice and officials from other branches of government do not automatically undermine judicial neutrality.

“If the Chief Justice is seen to be close to other organs of government and they are performing their duties, that should not mean that the proximity of the Chief Justice to other heads of the organs of government means that the trust and fairness he is expected to uphold have been trampled upon,” he said.

Adawudu also pointed out that the Chief Justice’s role as head of the judiciary naturally requires regular engagement with other state institutions on administrative and governance matters.

“In the first place, the Chief Justice is the administrative head of the judiciary. He plays administrative roles. He has meetings with other organs of government. He has people under him, and they have meetings to ensure social cohesion and make sure that this country moves on,” he explained.

Addressing concerns over the Chief Justice’s attendance at events involving NDC members, Adawudu questioned whether the office holder should be expected to completely detach himself from personal and professional relationships.

“He has not breached any code of ethics for judges. Has the Chief Justice become an island because of the office he occupies? He was there to support his colleagues and people close to him with whom he had built relationships. Do you know the relationships he has cultivated with these families?” he asked.

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AK/BAI