Supreme Court of Ghana

The Supreme Court of Ghana is the highest judicial body in Ghana. Ghana's 1992 constitution guarantees the independence and separation of the Judiciary from the Legislative and the Executive arms of government.1992 Constitution Article 125 (1). "Justice emanates from the people and shall be administered in the name of the Republic by the Judiciary which shall be independent and subject only to this Constitution."]

History

The Supreme Court was established by the Supreme Court Ordinance (1876) as the highest tribunal in the Gold Coast (now Ghana) during the colonial era. [cite web |url=http://www.judicial.gov.gh/history/before_indp/page_2.htm |title=Historical Development of the Courts before Independence - The Supreme Court Ordinance, 1876 |accessdate=2007-03-26 |pages=page2|work=Official Website |publisher=Judicial Service of Ghana ] Appeals from the Supreme Court went to the West African Court of Appeals (WACA) established in 1866. Ghana withdrew from WACA following independence.cite web |url=http://www.judicial.gov.gh/history/summary/home.htm |title=History - Summary |accessdate=2007-03-26 |work=Official Website |publisher=Judicial Service of Ghana] After the military coup d'état of February 24,1966, the National Liberation Council (NLC), by the Courts Decree, 1966 (NLCD.84) abolished the Supreme Court and vested judicial power in two sets of courts: the Superior Court of Judicature and the inferior Courts.cite web |url=http://www.judicial.gov.gh/history/after_indp/home.htm |title=Historical Development of the Courts after Independence |accessdate=2007-03-26 |pages=page1 |work=Official Website |publisher=Judicial Service of Ghana] This was reversed by Article 102(4) of the 1969 constitution establishing the second republic.cite web |url=http://www.judicial.gov.gh/history/after_indp/page_2.htm |title=Historical Development of the Courts after Independence |accessdate=2007-03-26 |pages=page2 |work=Official Website |publisher=Judicial Service of Ghana] After the coup on January 13,1972, the Supreme Court was again abolished by the National Redemption Council with the reason that the 1969 constitution had been suspended and so there was no need for a court to "interpret and enforce it". Its functions were transferred to the Court of Appeal. This was again reverted by the 1979 constitution when the third republic was established on September 24, 1979.cite web |url=http://www.judicial.gov.gh/history/after_indp/page_3.htm |title= Historical Development of the Courts After Independence |accessdate=2007-03-26 |pages=page3|work=Official Website |publisher=Judicial Service of Ghana] The Supreme Court was left intact after the December 31, 1981 coup by the Provisional National Defence Council, though it made changes to the court system by introducing public tribunals.

Current Status

The 1992 constitution stipulates that the Supreme court is made up of the Chief Justice and not less than nine other Justices of the Supreme Court.cite web| url=http://www.ghanareview.com/parlia/Gconst11.html |title=1992 Constitution:Article 128(1) |publisher=Ghana Review International |quote="The Supreme court shall consist of the Chief Justice and not less than nine other Justices of the Supreme Court."] The Chief Justice is appointed by the President of Ghana acting in consultation with the Council of State and with the approval of the country's Parliament. [Ghana Constitution:Article 144 clause 1 "The Chief Justice shall be appointed by the President acting in consultation with the Council of State and with the approval of Parliament."] The other Supreme Court Justices are appointed by the President acting on the advice of the Judicial Council and in consultation with the Council of State. This must also be with the approval of Parliament. [1992 Constitution:Article 144 clause 2 "The other Supreme Court Justices shall be appointed by the President acting on the advice of the Judicial Council, in consultation with the Council of State and with the approval of Parliament."] The 1992 Constitution abolished all the public tribunals established under the PNDC and created the Regional Tribunal whose chairman was equated with the High Court judge.

Justices of the Supreme Court

The following is a list of the judges of the Supreme Court in order of seniority. [cite web |url=http://www.judicial.gov.gh/judicial_officers/home.htm |title=List of Judges of the Superior Court of Judicature |accessdate=2007-03-26 |work=Official Website |publisher=Judicial Service of Ghana] [cite web |url=http://www.ghanadistricts.com/home/?_=42&sa=3640&ssa=260&PHPSESSID=4bd2cccf47f78c4d1705988ea58acd87 |title=The Judiciary - Justice of the Supreme Court |accessdate=2007-04-19 |work=Ghana local government website |publisher=Min. of Local Govt., Rural Dev. & Environment & Maks Publications & Media Services ]

* Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood - Chief Justice since June 15 2007cite news |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=125662 |title=Kpegah urges new Chief Justice to unite judges|accessdate=2007-06-16 |work=General News of Friday, 15 June 2007 |publisher=Ghana Home Page]
* Francois Yaonansu Kpegah - (since January 6, 1993) [ [http://www.graphicghana.info/article.asp?artid=16143 graphicghana.info ] ] - Most senior Judgecite web |url=http://www.judicial.gov.gh/news/death%20of%20cj.htm |title=Death of the Chief Justice of Ghana |accessdate=2007-04-13 |work=Official Website |publisher=Judicial Service of Ghana]
* William A. Atuguba
* Ms. Sophia A. B. Akuffo
* Theodore Kwami Adzoe (since Nov. 2000) [cite news |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=12230 |title= Rawlings swears in two Supreme Court judges |accessdate=2007-07-31 |work=General News of Wednesday, 29 November 2000 |publisher=Ghana Home Page]
* Stephen Alan Brobbey
* Dr Seth Twum
* Prof. Samuel Kofi Date-Bah
* Prof. Tawiah Modibo Ocran – (since 2004)
* Julius Ansah
* Richard Twum Aninakwah
* Mrs Sophia Ophilia Adjeibea Adinyira – (since 2006)cite web |url=http://www.judicial.gov.gh/archives/judges%20sworn%20in/home.htm |title=Two new Supreme Court Judges sworn in |accessdate=2007-06-01 |work=Official website |publisher=Judicial Service of Ghana]
* Samuel Kwadwo Asiamah – (since 2006)
*Rose Constance Owusu– (since 11 June, 2008)cite news |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=145184 |title=Four new Supreme Court Judges Sworn In |accessdate=2008-06-12 |work=General News of Wednesday, 11 June 2008 |publisher=Ghana Home Page]
*Jones Mawulom Dotse– (since June, 2008)
*Anin Yeboah– (since June, 2008)
*Paul Baffoe-Bonnie– (since June, 2008)

;Former Supreme Court Judges [cite web |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/republic/supreme_court.php |title=Supreme Court of Ghana - Members of Supreme Court (2005) |accessdate=2007-03-26 |date=2005 |publisher=Ghana Home Page]
* K. Adjabeng
* A. K. Ampiah
* Samuel Glenn Baddoo
* Joyce Bamford Addo
* George Lamptey
* Felix Michael Lartey

List of Chief Justices of the Supreme Court

Since its inception in 1876, the Supreme Court has had 23 Chief Justices. [cite web |url=http://www.judicial.gov.gh/history/list%20of%20judicial%20officials/list%20of%20CJ.htm |title=List of Chief Justices |accessdte=2007-03-26 |work=Official Website |publisher=Judicial Service of Ghana]

References

ee also

*Judiciary of Ghana
*Chief Justice of Ghana

External links

* [http://www.judicial.gov.gh/ Official Website of the Judicial Service of Ghana]
* [http://www.judicial.gov.gh/judicial_officers/home.htm List of Judges of the Superior Court of Judicature]
*Ghana Constitution:* [http://www.judicial.gov.gh/constitution%20of%20ghana/home.htm Judicial Service of Ghana Website] :* [http://www.parliament.gh/const_constitution.php Parliament of Ghana Website] :* [http://www.ghanareview.com/Gconst.html GhanaReview.com]