Insults, Judicial Bias and Misconduct: Why vetting of Supreme Court nominee has been suspended indefinitely

The vetting of Justice Kweku T Ackaah-Boafo for appointment to the Supreme Court of Ghana has been indefinitely suspended after Parliament’s Appointments Committee received a petition alleging judicial bias, misconduct, and cultural insensitivity, according to the Hard Law Journal report.

According to the report, the petition, filed by self-proclaimed international human rights activist Anthony Kwabenya Rau, has thrown the confirmation process into uncertainty and has been referred to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, for further action in line with parliamentary procedures.

Justice Ackaah-Boafo, currently a judge at the Court of Appeal, was scheduled to face the Appointments Committee on 18 June 2025. However, the committee suspended the hearing following the submission of a petition by Rau, which accused the nominee of misconduct during proceedings at the DVLA courts.

According to the petition, Justice Ackaah-Boafo referred to Rau a 67-year-old activist as “arrogant” and “power drunk,” and dismissed his right to represent clients in court, describing him in his ruling as a “so-called ‘Messiah’ international Human Rights Activist.”

The petition also raises concerns about the judge’s cultural competence, citing his Canadian background and alleging a lack of respect for Ghanaian customs and elders.

“Justice Kweku T Ackaah-Boafo’s Supreme Court nomination vetting was today postponed indefinitely after Parliament’s Appointments Committee received a petition alleging judicial bias and misconduct

“The petition was submitted by Anthony Kwabenya Rau, who claims the respected judge insulted him during court proceedings and displayed cultural insensitivity, describing him as arrogant and power drunk.

“Sources close to Justice Ackaah-Boafo dismiss the petition as bogus, unfounded and without any merit whatsoever, while a Ghana School of Law student recently praised the judge as such a gentleman known for his integrity and respect for others,” the Hard Law Journal said in a news report on June 18, 2025.

“Under Ghana’s Constitution, superior court judges can only be removed for stated misbehaviour or incompetence through a specific procedure, though it’s unclear if Rau petitioned the President separately.

“The matter has been referred to Speaker Alban Bagbin for action, with Parliament’s Standing Orders requiring petitions to be investigated within 30 days to determine if they merit further consideration,” the report added.

Within Parliament, Order 99 of the Standing Orders allows for petitions from members of the public, provided they are submitted through an MP and meet basic procedural criteria.

The Speaker is mandated to act on such petitions within 30 days, determining whether they merit further investigation or can be dismissed as frivolous or vexatious.