There are no political judges in the judiciary – Supreme Court nominee

Supreme Court judge nominee Justice Henry Anthony Kwofie has debunked claims of the existence of politically aligned judges in the judiciary.

According to the Appeal Court judge, he has not encountered any instances of judges being influenced by political considerations in his 25 years of service on the bench.

He emphasised that such narratives are perilous for the country’s democracy and the judiciary, urging Ghanaians not to tolerate that.

“There are no political judges, and it is difficult to address any judge as a political judge. So as I sit here, there is nothing like a political judge or judges.”

He made these remarks in response to a question posed by the Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Wednesday, December 20.

Background

Parliament is conducting a public hearing vetting for the nominees appointed by the President to fill vacant positions on the Supreme Court bench.

In a letter addressed to the House, the President nominated three justices, currently serving on the Court of Appeal, for elevation to the Supreme Court.

The nominated justices are Henry Anthony Kwofie, Yaw Darko Asare, and Richard Adjei-Frimpong.

The Appointments Committee, chaired by the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu, will oversee the vetting process and submit a report to the plenary for consideration.

President Akufo-Addo, in a letter to Parliament dated October 11, 2023, highlighted the importance of promptly filling the vacancies caused by the retirement of some members on the bench.