The directive by the Chief justice also instructed judges to ensure they are fully attired in robes alongside the wigs.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7SEOWAalqNTCvLbgpDIQgUif5rAyFZSh”]According to an internal memo from the judicial secretary to all judges, sighted by Citi News, the directive is to preserve the tradition and uniqueness of the work of Judges and the legal profession.

It also explained that, the wearing of the wigs will enhance the security of judges and also provide them the needed protection and anonymity.

Her ladyship Sophia Akuffo, also indicated that, the new directive is aimed at restoring the formal nature of court proceedings, and eliminate what she describes as the “creeping casualness in the judicial system.”

The directive is one of the notable decisions taken by the Chief Justice since her appointment in June 2017.

I’m against lawyers advertising on social media – Sophia Akuffo

The Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo in June 2017 during her vetting, said she does not endorse the practice of lawyers advertising their services on social media.

According to her, the practice is “distasteful” and amounts to ‘touting’, a behavior unacceptable by the bar.

Sophia Akuffo’s conservative leanings

She said, “Personally, I believe that dignity of the Bar is as important as the dignity of the judiciary, and the idea of lawyers touting themselves on social media is personally distasteful to me. But that aside, the law is there clearly against touting because touting is an improper conduct on the part of the lawyer.”

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By: Fred Djabanor/citifmonlne.com/Ghana

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According to her, the situation at a number of the nation’s courts left a lot to be desired, and was not befitting of the institution.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ZaZIV0aEj56gkc90DREF9XqU4e3fTZyP”]Speaking at the 37^th Annual General Conference of the Association of Judges and Magistrates, Sophia Akufo said: “One will seriously think of closing some of these unsafe courts until we are put in a position to make them safe for use by judges on a day-to-day basis and for use by the public.”

She added that, the state of many of the courts does not portray a good picture of the judiciary, which is the third arm of government.

“I would say that some of the premises are unhygienic and they are unsuitable and unfit for use in the delivery of justice. It even tarnishes our image,” she said.

GBA concerned about working conditions

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA), in June 2017, expressed worry over the poor working and service conditions of judges.

According to the Association, judges within the country deserve more than they currently receive as conditions of service.

The GBA also complained about the lack of accommodation and proper residential and working facilities.

“As we celebrate our departed judges, as members of the legal community, it is necessary that we recommit ourselves to the entrenchment of the rule of law in our country. It cannot be sustained when the conditions of service and the working conditions of judges are nothing to write home about. Judicial independence is best secured by good conditions of service of our judges which in turn assures resilient democracies underpinned by the tenants of the rule of law,” President of the GBA, Benson Nutsukpui said on the 35th Anniversary of the murder of three high court judges.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Accra today [Monday].

Justice Sophia Akuffo, hours earlier, received a unanimous approval by Parliament after the House debated a report from her 5-hour long vetting last week.

President Akufo-Addo, while swearing in Justice Sophia Akuffo, expressed confidence in her ability to deliver on her mandate.

President Akufo-Addo said the new Chief Justice “will bring honour to the Judiciary and to our country”, adding that “in her, we have a worthy successor to Chief Justice Wood and the others who have gone before her.”

Outlining her qualities, the President noted “hard work, discipline, capacity for detailed research, intimate knowledge of the law, independence of mind and spirit, honesty and integrity, deep-seated respect for the rule of law and for the best traditions of the legal profession, abiding belief in the sovereignty of Almighty God.”

She becomes the 13th Chief Justice in the position, and the second female after the immediate past Chief Justice, Georgina Wood.

About Sophia Akuffo

Sophia Akuffo had her Masters in Law (LLM) from the Havard University in the United States.

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

In January 2006, she was elected one of the first judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights initially elected for two years, she was subsequently re-elected until 2014 and is at present serving as Vice-President of the Court.

She has written The Application of Information & Communication Technology in the Judicial Process – the Ghanaian Experience, a presentation to the African Judicial Network Ghana (2002).

If confirmed by parliament Justice Sophia Akuffo will be the fifth Chief Justice under the fourth republic after; Isaac Kobina Abban who served between 1995 to 2001.

Edward Kwame Wiredu also served between 2001 and 2003 while George Kingley Acquah served from 2003 to 2007 before Georgina Theodora Wood from 2007 to 2017.
Justice Akuffo will also be the 13^th Chief Justice in the history of the Republic of Ghana.

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The approval followed the favourable recommendation of the Appointments Committee of Parliament, after she was screened by members of the committee last Friday.

[contextly_sidebar id=”zeSGOAzi8UspvUpFXAavRXEUNEgNbQ5o”]Presenting the report of the committee, 1st Deputy Speaker, Joe Osei Wusu, said the committee approved Sophia Akuffo’s nomination unanimously because she exhibited the competence required for the fourth highest position in the country.

He said Sophia Akuffo during the vetting showed a high standard of “competence and integrity, forthrightness and independence, astuteness in depth appreciation of the law, shrewdness and selflessness.”

The over five-hour long vetting process saw Justice Sophia Akuffo answer questions on the challenges within the country’s legal system, the regulations on touting, the status and relevance of the Ghana Law School, practice of mob justice, external interference of the judiciary among others.

She is expected to be sworn into office by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo later in the day.

12 things you don’t know about Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo

• Justice Sophia Akuffo was born on 20th December 1949 [Aged 67 years]
• Sophia Akuffo had her Masters in Law (LLM) from the Harvard University in the United States
• She is the second senior most Justice on the Supreme Court bench after Justice William Atuguba
• She trained as a lawyer in Nana Akufo-Addo’s chambers
• She has been a member of the Governing Committee of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute, and the Chairperson of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Task-Force.
• In January 2006, she was elected one of the first judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights initially elected for two years; and was subsequently re-elected until 2014, and is at present serving as Vice-President of the Court.
• She has written a paper on “The Application of Information & Communication Technology in the Judicial Process – the Ghanaian Experience,” and presented it to the African Judicial Network Ghana (2002)
• She presided over the infamous Montie three case in 2016
• Sophia A.B. Akuffo has been a Judge of the Supreme Court of Ghana for the past two decades
• If confirmed by parliament, Justice Sophia Akuffo will be the fifth Chief Justice under the fourth republic
• She will also be the 13th Chief Justice in the history of the Republic of Ghana.
• She was appointed to the Supreme Court  by Jerry John Rawlings on 30th November 1995.

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Chief Justice nominee was asked at her vetting on Friday about the politicization of certain cases with specific references to the Montie three and Delta Force cases but she declined to give any substantial comments on them.

[contextly_sidebar id=”sA8It8PNcUvTZVi7LGyenbd2YrQNApSj”]The Montie Three; Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and Salifu Maase, were sentenced to jail for four months after they were found to be in contempt of the Supreme Court in July of 2016, when they threatened the lives of Supreme Court Justices on a live radio programme.

They were subsequently pardoned after serving only a month, by Former President Mahama, who exercised his constitutional prerogative of mercy, following petitions presented to him mostly by members of his government and party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

As part of the judgement on the case which Justice Akuffo presided over, the four directors of Network Broadcasting Limited (Owners of Radio Gold and Montie FM), were roped into the contempt charge, and ordered to pay a fine of GHc30,000. Harry Zakuor, owner of Zeze media, which owns Montie FM’s frequency was also to pay a separate fine of GHc30,000.

Responding to a question on the idea of contempt protecting the integrity of the court, Justice Akuffo said, she was “not comfortable about being called upon to justify a judgment that we have delivered, but in general terms, concerning the scope of the exercising of the contempt power or labeling something to be contemptuous, I believe that each case will dictate the outcome.”

On the Delta Force case, Justice Akuffo argued that it may still be brought before the courts.

Giving his take on what transpired at the vetting, Mr. Ablakwa argued that the nominee missed the opportunity to assure the country of the courts’ political neutrality.

“… I thought she opted to be cagey and she opted to be evasive.It’s her right to do that but I thought that this was an opportunity for her to show that they would be consistent and they will clear all doubts in the minds of  anybody because that was a very political matter,” Mr. Ablakwa said.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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Justice Sophia Akuffo answered questions on the challenges of the country’s legal system, the regulations on touting, the status and relevance of the Ghana Law School, practice of mob justice and external interference of the judiciary.

The quotes are represented in the infographic below:

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By: Melvin Clottey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to her, many resort to ‘mob justice’ because of a “misunderstanding” of the legal processes.

[contextly_sidebar id=”bsyvtjz4IsEssPKmMF6COo0HcTqnsdss”]Speaking during her vetting in Parliament, she said if given the nod, she will work to ensure that as much as it depends on her outfit, mob justice is minimized.

“Mob justice is a misnomer and it’s definitely not justice… Many times mob justice is based on a misunderstanding of [legal] processes.  It could be because they didn’t understand why the person was freed or the perception that what is the point of reporting to the police or going to court about this matter or waiting for the judicial outcome because it will take too long,” she said.

“The other side of justice delayed is justice denied, is that justice hurried is justice buried. It is being able to strike that balance, that is the area of concern for the judicial system and for the judiciary, because so long as there is mob justice, it means something is not going right. At least, we in the judiciary will do our optimal to ensure that we are not the cause of mob justice,” she added.

Ghana is witnessing an increase in cases of ‘mob justice’ meted out to persons suspected to have committed various crimes or alleged to be witches or wizards.

In most instances, the victims are killed.

Recently, a military officer, Major Maxwell Mahama, was lynched and partly burnt by some residents of Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region on suspicion that he was an armed robber.

A similar incident occurred in the Upper East Region where a 67-year-old woman was lynched by some angry residents of Pelungu in the Nabdam District, who accused her of being a witch.

Meanwhile, the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, has said the government is engaging with some security experts and other stakeholders to address the incidents of mob injustice across the country.

According to him, the incidents of mob justice is against the country’s laws and will not be tolerated.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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During her vetting, Justice Akuffo reminded that, the Ghana Law School provided much more than theoretical training.

[contextly_sidebar id=”BuPDpRt5ZZ6nOzuvksZvrZVyldqY3RlC”]“What happens in the universities at the faculties of law is that, they educate people academically on the law as a theory – on knowledge of the law” but “the Ghana School of Law is a professional training facility. That is where the theories learnt in classrooms are supposed to be taught from a more practical point of view and that is how it has been,” she explained.

Justice Akuffo did acknowledge the difficulty in entering the Ghana Law School currently, as she recalled that during her schooling days, “it was such seamless transition that some of us thought it was part of the University of Ghana.”

But she maintained that “when you want to be called a lawyer, a professional, then you come to the professional school, like in architecture, you do the theory and then there is the practicals. Same with medicine, you do the classroom work and then you get to the clinicals.”

Arguments for reform

The Ghana Law School has been criticized for its strict formality, which some believe keeps the profession exclusive.

At the moment, the only institution authorized to provide the professional training is the Ghana School of Law serving 12 schools providing LLB degrees.  The current training regime limits the intake into the Ghana Law School to under 500 of the about-2000 LLB graduates annually.

Critics of the current status quo have called for the school to be scrapped, with IMANI Africa’s vice President, Kofi Bentil, suggesting the Ghana Law School be turned into an examination body.

Among other arguments, in 2016, a private legal practitioner and current Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, also argued that, existing lawyers try to protect their market share by limiting the number of students who go through the Ghana School of Law.

The Member of Parliament for North Dayi, Jocelyn Tetteh, joined calls for the decentralization of the training of lawyers in Ghana, arguing that reforms would liberalize the training of lawyers and ease the pressure on the Ghana Law School.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The NMC law was introduced to compel media owners to apply for content authorization, submit programme guide and content for approval or in default pay a fine or serve between two and five years jail term.

[contextly_sidebar id=”dvzGmwx2QuHAjeQ7GPgMfOOZXEzhnpLL”]The Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), which was dissatisfied with the new regulations, filed a suit at the Supreme Court to strike out the new law, arguing that some of the regulations were an affront to freedom of speech and the rights and freedoms granted to the media under Article 162 of the 1992 Constitution.

In a unanimous decision in November 2016, a seven-member panel, led by Justice Akuffo, held that certain regulations in the NMC (Content Standards) Regulations 2015 (L.I. 2224) amounted to censorship and contravened Article 162 Clause (4) of the 1992 Constitution.

Justice Akuffo, explaining some aspects of the panel’s reasoning during the vetting, said they considered aspects of the NMC’s regulations to be too broad and only asked them to return to the court with specifics.

“The balance is that, in the matter against the media commission, regulations were being made which were over-broad without specificity and carried all kinds of sanctions, therefore, what we were calling on the commission to do was to go back to the drawing board.”

She further explained that, the court was only asking the NMC to go back to the “drawing board and be more specific.”

Review media regulations

Her comment comes in the wake of  a complaint against three television stations believed to be showing movies with pornographic scenes, which has reignited the debate on the need for standards, which will regulate the content churned out by various media houses.

A legal practitioner, Samuel Bartels, is one of such persons who argues that media content should be reviewed to effectively address the challenges associated with the evolution of broadcasting.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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