Prez Akufo-Addo nominates 3 persons for appointment as Supreme Court Judge

• Posted on November 14, 2023November 14, 2023
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Three individuals have been nominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to be appointed as Justices of the Supreme Court.

Three Justices of the Court of Appeal, Mr. Justices Henry Anthony Coffie, Yaw Asare Darko, and Richard Adjei-Frimpong, are among the nominees.

The nominations were made public on Friday by Mr Joseph Osel Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, who was presiding over the House.

In accordance with Article 144(2) of the 1992 Constitution, the President made the nominations after consulting with the Council of State and taking the Judicial Council’s recommendation.

In his letter to Parliament, the President stated that three vacancies had occurred at the Supreme Court bench in the previous few months—in February, May, and June, respectively. The Chief Justice and fifteen other Justices of the Court currently make up the court’s bench according to convention, taking into account its jurisdiction.

He noted that the required retirements of Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah on May 24, 2023, Justice Jones Dotse on June 8, 2023, and Justice Nene Abayateye Ofoe Amegatcher on February 3, 2023, were the reason for these openings.

He pointed out that there were now 13 Justices of the Court, with Mrs Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkomoo serving as the new Chief Justice.

Thus, in line with Article 144(2) of the Constitution, the President was seeking the approval of Parliament for the appointment of the nominees as Justices of the Supreme Court.

Mr Osel Owusu referred the nominees to the Appointment Committee of Parliament for vetting and report to the House.