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Interesting aspects of Justice Sophia Akuffo's appointment

Justice Sophia Akuffo JSC Justice Sophia Akuffo

Fri, 12 May 2017 Source: Andrews Krow

Justice Sophia Akuffo is coming into office as our new Chief Justice with a very interesting background.

Her appointment has generated serious confusion in the NPP and interestingly, people who are not sympathizers of the NPP are also complaining bitterly about the act of nepotism connection.

The President has taken the decision and I don't think will reverse the decision despite the complaints flying around.

My prayer is that Justice Akuffo exhibits all the traits expected of a Chief Justice.

We know that she is a smart judge and pray she continue to show modesty and have good sense of herself. She must respect the institutions of state and all the parties and their actors.

Practically every judge appointed has, at one time or another, disappointed the parties or their Presidents but that should not bury her personal convictions and what she represents.

According to information gathered, some NPP bigwigs are complaining bitterly about the appointment of Madam Sophia Akuffo their reasons being that she was appointed to appease Rawlings, others claim Justice Dotsi did not get the nod because of his closeness to President Kufour.

Justice Sophia Akuffo was appointed to the supreme court in 1995 by Jerry Rawlings and has so far justified her appointment.

If we apply the partisan logic, that, Presidents appoint their favourite judges to the supreme Court, then I will rightly conclude that Madam showed signs of "Pro Rawlings/NDC" guaranteeing her appointment.

She was at the same side with Justice Attubuga ( dissenting) when Tsatsu Tsikata sought a declaration that there is no fast track court to try criminal cases established under the constitution of the Republic and that there was no constitutional foundation for the plaintiff to be prosecuted before such Court.

When the Supreme Court sat on the case ( Jake's bungalow case) brought before it by Dr Omane Boamah and Hon Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Justice Sophia Akuffo, Justice Attuguba, and Justice Vida Akoto Bamfo were the Judges who held minority view.

Justice Stephen Allan Brobbey said in absence of any concrete evidence, it has dismissed the application.We all heard how Ghanaians chastised the minority over that shocking decision.

Attubuga is tagged NDC bias, Mrs Justice Vida Akoto Bamfo during was tagged NDC sympathizer, and the two most times went the same direction with Sophia Akuffo who was also appointed by Rawlings.

In 2014 when the noble judge applied to serve at the African Court on Human and People's Right, President Mahama played enormous role leading to her reelection.The Montie 3 judgement brought another twist, supporter of the three gentlemen protested vehemently against the punishment the court meted out to the the three.

We shall leave the issue of superiority to our noble lawyers to discuss.

My prayer is that our respected judge continue to exhibit those exceptional virtues which brought her the grace and admiration she is enjoying.Time to prove her critics wrong.

Columnist: Andrews Krow
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