A retired judge of the Supreme Court of Ghana, His Lordship Justice Julius Ansah, has passed away after 41 years of public service.
He was 74.
This sad news comes as a big blow to the Judicial Service due to the crucial role Justice Ansah played at the Supreme Court before retiring four years ago.
Justice Julius Ansah began his working life at the Attorney-General’s Department in Koforidua as a National Service Person.
He joined the bench as a District Magistrate Grade II in 1979, and first worked at Assin Fosu in the Central Region for two years and got promoted to District Magistrate Grade I in 1981.
In 1986, he was promoted to the Circuit Court Bench and subsequently to the High Court Bench in 1989. His first station as a Justice of the High Court was Tamale in the Northern Region, where he also served as the Supervising High Court Judge.
Justice Julius Ansah was elevated to the Court of Appeal Bench in 1999 and rose to the apex Court of the land as a Justice of the Supreme Court in 2004.
His career has been one of service to his country, having occupied various positions and played diverse roles, which include serving on the General Legal Council and the Judicial Council, acting as Director of the Public Complaints Unit & Inspectorate Unit, as well as acting as Chief Justice at some point in time.
On his retirement, the Judicial Service held a brief but memorable ceremony at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra in appreciation of his selfless and invaluable contribution to justice delivery in Ghana.
Justice Ansah was presented with a citation, a long service award, and a retirement package.
The then-Chief Justice, Justice Anin Yeboah, said at the retirement ceremony that he had “mixed feelings” because “while it is a joy and privilege to share the moment, it was equally sad to lose Justice Ansah’s presence on the bench”.
The Chief Justice extolled Justice Ansah for his person and his professionalism on the bench. “Since his very first days on the bench as a Magistrate some 41 years ago, Justice Julius Ansah has displayed modesty and honesty and demonstrated tremendous insight and excellence.
“These qualities have shown themselves in his work across the length and breadth of our country in the Lower Court through to the High Court – from Assin Fosu to Wenchi, Hohoe, Agona Swedru, Tamale and Sekondi and the Court of Appeal and eventually onto the Supreme Court,” Chief Justice Anin Yeboah said.
For his part, His Lordship Justice Jones Dotse, a Justice of the Supreme Court, recounted the years of friendship he has had with Justice Ansah since 1973.
He described Justice Ansah as a “hardworking Judge with integrity” and wished him well. “We will miss you on the bench, especially your jokes and sermons in the Conference Room. We pray for God to sustain you with vitality and add more years to your life,” he said.
The other judges His Lordship Justice Julius Ansah worked with include His Lordship Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie, His Lordship Justice Nasiru S. Gbadegbe, His Lordship Justice Yaw Appau, His Lordship Justice Gabriel Pwamang, His Lordship Justice Samuel K. Marful-Sau, Her Ladyship Justice Agnes M.A. Dordzie and His Lordship Justice Nene Abayaateye Ofoe Amegatcher,
The rest are His Lordship Justice Prof. Nii Ashie Kotey, Her Ladyship Justice Mariama Owusu, Her Ladyship Justice Avril Lovelace Johnson, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Torkornoo (now Chief Justice of Ghana), His Lordship Justice Clemence J. Honyenuga, His Lordship Justice Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu, Her Ladyship Justice Prof. Henrietta Joy Abena Nyarko Mensa-Bonsu, and His Lordship Justice Emmanuel Yonnykulendi.