Stop Attacking Judges, Use The Court” Circuit Court Judge Tells Lawyers.
Presiding Judge of the Adenta Circuit Court 1, Her Honour Angela Attachie has charged law students soon to be lawyers and lawyers in the industry to be professional, ethical and desist from commanding judges to do what they want.
According to her, there are many legitimate ways to challenge court rulings by going to a higher court, but resorting to public criticism and attacks on court rulings is inappropriate.
She noted that if the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) paid much attention to such conducts, many lawyers would be facing disciplinary issues in the country.
Her Ladyship added that many politicians today are lawyers and they often play to the gallery by speaking to the media to be heard, which she said should not be the case.
Citing herself as an example, she said she has been at the receiving end of such attacks. According to her, anytime she makes orders at Adenta Circuit Court 1, she is attacked by people who disagree with her decisions.
She cited the case of Abronye as an example, stating that she received threats from people because of the Abronye case, even though Abronye has never appeared before her court.
She revealed that this is the reason she now moves with a bodyguard, although under their rules, a Circuit Court judge is not entitled to a bodyguard.
She therefore charged the public to desist from attacking and threatening judges, stressing that when a judge is discharging her duties, she does not look at faces but looks at the facts before her.
She emphasized that if one is not satisfied with a court ruling, the appropriate step is to go to a higher court, but threatening and cursing a judge is inappropriate because judges also have families.
Her Honour Angela Attachie made the remarks in an interview with the media during the inauguration of the KAAF University Faculty of Law Advisory Board, where she represented the Chief Justice, Justice Baffoe Bonnie.
She added that the Advisory Board is to guide, mentor and advise the Law Faculty to attain a higher standard, since most of the members are Court of Appeal judges.
Meanwhile, Justice of the Court of Appeal and member of the Advisory Board, Justice Nana Yaw Barima Koddie Oppong, who spoke on behalf of the Board Chairperson, Professor Lydia A. Nkansah, Esq., Associate Professor of Law, said as board members they will discharge their duties as professionals together with the management of KAAF University.
Board members are, Professor Lydia A Nkansah, ESQ Associate Professor of law chairperson, Justice Edward Amoako Asante,Justice, Court of Appeal,
Vice Chairperson, Justice Dr Richmond Osei-Hwere Justice, Court of Appeal, committee member, Justice Nana Yaw Barima Koddie Oppong Justice, Court of Appeal, member. Justice Francis Obiri , Justice, Court of Appeal, committee member, Mr Julius Erasmus Opoku Agyei,Esq ,senior legal Practitioner ,committee member, Mr Tawia Yaw Akyea ,Esq ,Senior legal Practitioner committee member.
Mr Raymond Felli ,Esq legal Practitioner committee member and Mr Charles Nana Osei-Bonsu Esq, Senior legal Practitioner, Dean and Committee Member
On his part, the Council Chair of KAAF University, Professor K. B. Omane-Antwi, said the aim of the institution is to produce ethical lawyers who will become leaders – not just leaders, but authentic leaders.
According to him, these are the kind of lawyers the country needs because public trust in lawyers appears to be declining, hence the school has attached much importance to ethics in its programme to ensure its graduates will be different.
Story by Opanyin Darko@C/R.
