If Justice Sophia Akuffo is conflicted merely because of her early legal relationship with the president then nobody can be a judge in Ghana, a legal practitioner has said.
Ace Ankomah told Ghana Connect host Evans Mensah, after being on the bench since 1996 and having garnered a wealth of experience, it will be flawed for anyone to suggest that she will be conflicted by her earlier relationship with the president.
He argued judges by their very practice are trained to offer “disinterested service”, by dispensing justice and allowing the chips to fall at either side no matter who is involved.
The legal practitioner with the Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa and Ankomah law firm was reacting to criticisms against the president’s appointment of Sophia Akuffo as new Chief Justice.
The critics raise issues about conflict of interest and point to the early days of an illustrious career of the learned judge which started at the law chambers of Nana Akufo-Addo now president.
After a period she left the Akufo-Addo chambers to set up her own before being appointed on the bench.
A senior to many, including the immediate past Chief Justice Georgina Wood, and the two other compatriots tipped for the role- Justices Jones Dotse and Anim Yeboah- Sophia Akufo has an undoubted legal and judicial quality.
A fearless, firm but fair judge, Justice Akufo has presided over many cases some of which had then Attorney General, now president Akufo-Addo all appearing before her.
In the recent case involving the infamous Montie 3 saga, Justice Sophia Akufo, at the risk of courting the anger of the president and members of the ruling government at the time, handed a four-month jail term to three contemnors who threatened to kill judges and rape the outgoing chief justice.
Her quality has never been doubt but her link with Akufo-Addo albeit, insignificant, has been somewhat of a blot critics point to in their disagreement with the appointment.
Ace Ankomah in rubbishing the conflict of interest claim said “then nobody can ever become a judge. People are appointed from the bench and when you are appointed your class mates appear before.
The people who work in your previous law firm appear before you. Unless and until that you believe that you are emotionally tied to that classmate, friend, brother or sister, you recuse yourself.”
He charged Ghanaians, especially journalists to concentrate on the substance and not the insignificant straws.
Another lawyer, Paul Adom Otchere agreed significantly saying the issue of conflict of interest against Sophia Akufo-Addo is a non issue.
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