[ 2017-05-11 ]

Justice Sophia Akuffo

Akufo-Addo shortlists his cousin and two NPP linked judges
President Akufo-Addo has true to prediction,
ignored the most senior jurist on the Supreme
Court of Ghana, Justice William Atuguba, by short
listing three others, including his cousin;
Justice Sophia Akuffo, to be considered as the new
Chief Justice, the fourth most powerful person in
Ghana.

The same Justice Sophia Akuffo, who was elevated
to the Supreme Court by ex-President Jerry John
Rawlings in the 90s, is a paternal auntie to the
current Minister of Justice and Attorney General,
Gloria Akuffo.

They hail from Akropong Akwapim; same house with
President Akufo-Addo, in the Eastern Region. Also
from this house is Lawyer Kwame Akuffo.

Both Gloria and Sophia, had practiced as young
lawyers in the law firm of Akufo–Addo—Prempeh
and Co, a renowned law firm situated at Adabraka,
Accra.

The other two frontrunners are; Messrs Justice
Jones Victor Mawulorm Dotse and Justice Anin
Yeboah.

Tsatsu Tsikata, had once accused Justice Anim
Yeboah of persistently and consistently taking
opposition to the stance of the NDC, because he
was appointed to the Supreme Court by the former
President, John Agyekum Kufuor.

It is not yet certain, the kinds of reforms any of
them could bring in this era of judicial
corruption, except to notice that they are
favorites of the Akufo-Addo government, because
their judgments on the Supreme Court bench, have
been in the interest of the NPP, while in and out
of power.

While, President Akufo-Addo’s cousin; Justice
Sophia Akuffo, was the one who chaired the Supreme
Court panel on the NPP case against the Electoral
Commission (EC) and later convicted Salifu Maase,
Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako-Gunn in the
infamous Montie FM case, Justice Anin Yeboah, was
the sole Supreme Judge empanelled by Chief Justice
Woode to force Alfred Agbesi Woyome to give
evidence in an application filed by Martin Amidu
– it was later botched by Lawyer Ken Anku.

The Kpando-born Justice Dotse, a known member of
the NPP who practiced in Ho as a lawyer for many
years, had earlier in an aspect of the Woyome case
before the Supreme Court, described the Woyome-
Waterville arrangement as “…..an alliance to
create, loot and share”.

The phrase, became a sound bite for the then
opposition NPP against the governing National
Democratic Congress (NDC) government led by John
Evans Atta Mills.

The highly respected Justice Atuguba, has been on
the Supreme Court bench since the Rawlings
administration, but was passed by the Kufuor
regime for Justice Georgina Theodora Woode; his
junior at the Supreme Court, when Justice George
Kingsley Acquah ,died and the seat became vacant.

Yesterday, The Daily Graphic reported that the
race for the position of the fourth most powerful
person in Ghana is on, as the Chief Justice,
Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, retires next month
who has been in public service for more than 40
years.

It cited Messrs Justice Jones Victor Mawulom Dotse
and Justice Anin Yeboah as the frontrunners,
adding “Ms Justice Sophia Akuffo, who is seen as
a dark horse and could spring a surprise, is the
next most senior on the highest court of the land
after Mr. Justice William Atuguba, who is billed
to retire soon”.

The state-owned newspaper said, “the Office of
the Chief Justice will become vacant with effect
from June 9, 2017 when Mrs. Justice Wood leaves
office.

Mrs. Justice Wood last Friday, announced at this
year’s Justice for all Programme at the Nsawam
Medium Security Prison: “In about four weeks I
will be retiring. Specifically, on the 8th of
June, I will no longer be in service. I should say
this because I see all sorts of things. Some even
say I am staying up till the end of the year. That
is not accurate.”

She worked as prosecutor with the Ghana Police
Service and later joined the Judicial Service.

Former President J. A. Kufuor appointed her as
Ghana’s first female Chief Justice on June 15,
2007.

The newspaper claimed that its deep-throat sources
have said that Ms Justice Akuffo, who has been on
the bench since 1997, appears to be favoured
,because of her seniority, followed by Justices
Dotse and Yeboah.

“All the three justices have served creditably
on the bench and have been part of or led
judgements in landmark cases.

Lawyers and members of the bench, who spoke to the
Daily Graphic, on condition of anonymity, said
nice things about all the contenders and were
unanimous in their views that they all deserved
the position”.

Profile of Ms Justice Akuffo

Ms Justice Akuffo has been at the Supreme Court
for the past two decades. She has a master’s
degree in Law (LL.M) from the Havard University in
the United States of America (USA).

She has been a member of the Governing Committee
of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute
and Chairperson of the Alternative Dispute
Resolution (ADR) Task Force.

In January 2006, she was elected one of the first
judges of the African Court on Human and
Peoples’ Rights and was re-elected until 2014
when she served as the Vice-President. She is the
immediate past President of the court.

She is on the Disciplinary Committee of the
General Legal Council and has held membership of
many organisations.

Her publications include: The Application of
Information & Communications Technology in the
Judicial Process – The Ghanaian Experience,
presented to the African Judicial Network Ghana
(2002).

Mr. Justice Dotse

Mr. Justice Dotse was appointed as a Supreme Court
judge in June 2008.

He had more than 22 years’ experience at the
Ghana Bar as a private legal practitioner before
being elevated to the High Court in June 2002.

He was posted to Sekondi as a High Court Judge and
was promoted to the Appeals Court in September
2003, whereupon he was posted to Accra in June
2004.

Mr. Justice Dotse has presided over landmark
cases, including the Election Petition, Martin
Amidu v Waterville Holdings and others. He
convicted Kwabena Amaning aka Tagor and Alhaji
Isaah Abass for 15 years each over the MV Benjamin
cocaine case. The later freed on appeal.

He is noted for coining the now popularly
expression ‘create, loot and share’ in his
obiter in the Martin Amidu v Waterville Holdings
case in which businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome was
ordered to refund GH¢51.2 million to the state.

Mr. Justice Anin Yeboah

Mr. Justice Yeboah had more than 25 years’
experience at the Bar and has been a Supreme Court
judge since June 2008.

He presided over the popular MV Benjamin case in
which he sentenced the vessel owner, crew workers
and policemen to 25 years’ imprisonment each for
playing various roles leading to 77 parcels of
cocaine vanishing from the vessel.

Mr. Justice Yeboah was part of the panel that sat
on the 2012 Election Petition. He is from Nkawie,
– same place as ex-President John Kufuor – the
capital of Atwima Nwabiagya district of the
Ashanti Region.

He was consistent that votes in some parts of the
country should be annulled due to over voting,
voting without biometric verification and non
signing of pink sheets by presiding officers.

He has been named as a member of the newly
constituted FIFA Ethics Committee, where he will
serve on the Adjudicatory Chamber of the committee
for the next four years, alongside Akihiro Hara
(Japan), Oscar Vicente Scavone Rivas (Paraquay),
Damiani Juan Pedro (Uruguay), Abdoulaye Diop
(Senegal), Hallen Yngve (Norway), Jack Kariko
(Papua New Guinea), Liu Chi (China) and Alan
Rothenberg (USA).

Before his recent appointment, Mr Justice Yeboah
had served on various judicial bodies in the Ghana
Football Association, including the Disciplinary
and the Appeals committees.

He also served on the Appeals Committee of the
Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The Adjudicatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics
Committee reviews the reports of the Investigatory
Chamber and decides whether or not a case should
proceed or end.

The Appointment

Article 144 (1) of the 1992 Constitution provides
that “the Chief Justice shall be appointed by
the President, acting in consultation with the
Council of State and with the approval of
Parliament”.

Article 144 (2) provides that “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”.

Will Ms Justice Akuffo take over from a woman, as
has occurred in the Ministry of Justice and
Attorney-General’s Department or will a male
take over?

Meanwhile,, the regional balance in Ghanaian
politics, tends to favour Mr. Justice Dotse.

Many students of politics, say that since the
President is Akan, the Vice-President is from the
north and the Speaker of Parliament Ga, there will
be a perfect regional balance, if Mr. Justice
Dotse from the Volta Region, is given the nod as
the Chief Justice, the fourth most powerful person
in the land.

The President, will provide the answer when
Parliament resumes by the end of this month.

Source - theheraldghana.com

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