Unprecedented Number of Judges, Magistrates Retire

At least, a total of 20 judges and magistrates, working at the various courts in Ghana’s judiciary, including the Supreme Court, have retired this legal year alone, after attaining the retirement age.

They served several years and at different levels of the hierarchy of the bench.

The figure, said to be unprecedented in a (2022/23) legal year, per the records of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG), includes the former Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah.

According to media reports, the total number of retirees is eight more than the number that retired last legal year (2021/22).

This was made known by the president of the AMJG, Justice Henry Attorney Kwofie, also a Justice of the Court of Appeal, during their 42nd annual general conference in Accra.

This may pave the way for President Nana Akufo-Addo to promote others especially to the Apex Court.

Featuring prominently in the 20 retirees aside from the former CJ are three other justices of the Apex Court, namely Justice Jones Victor Dotse, Justice Nene Amegatcher and Justice Prof. Nii Ashie Kotey.

The others include five Court of Appeal justices, one each from High Court and the Circuit Court and nine District Court Magistrates.

They were all recognized with a citation at the 42nd Annual Conference of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana on Thursday September 27 at a programme, held at the La Beach Hotel in Accra.

Announcing their retirement from the bench this year, the president of the AMJG, Justice Henry Anthony Kwofie, said, “This year, 20 of our members in the various hierarchy of the courts, have retired or are about to retire, after several years of dedicated service to the Judicial Service and the Country.”

“This is the highest number of judges and magistrates ever to retire in one legal year in the history of the AMJG,” the president of AMJG stated.

The 2023/2024 legal year officially began yesterday, Monday, October 2, 2023 and will end on July 31, 2024.

They had gone on break from last August.

Meanwhile, since the AMJG’s last Annual General Meeting in September 2022, the association also lost four of its members.

They were His Lordship Justice Frank Manu, popularly called Teacher Manu, a retired High Court judge, Her Ladyship Justice Naana Buadi-Addo Abubakar, a Justice of the High Court, Her Honour Marvin Emmanuel Essandoh, a Circuit Court judge, and His Worship Divine Ahiadu.

Names of these retiree judges and magistrates are:

1. His Lordship Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, former Chief Justice
2. His Lordship Justice Jones Victor Dotse of the Supreme Court
3. Justice Nene Amegatcher of the Supreme Court
4. His Lordship Prof. Justice Nii Ashie Kotey of the Supreme Court
5. His Lordship Justice Victor Ofoe of the Court of Appeal
6. Her Ladyship Justice Margaret Welbourne of the Court of Appeal, who has retired voluntarily
7. Her Ladyship Justice Angelina Morna Dormaa kyareh of the Court of Appeal
8. Her Ladyship Justice Amma Gaisie of the Court of Appeal
9. Her Ladyship Justice Cecilia HanzzyS owah of the Court of Appeal, who will

retire in December 2023

10. Her Ladyship Justice Patience Mills-Tetteh of the High Court
11. His Honour Micheal Kudjo Ampadu, Circuit Court
12. His Worship Prince Andrew Cudjoe, District Court
13. His Worship Joseph Twumasi, District Court
14. 4. Her Worship Joyce Bamfo, District Court
15. His Worship Dapileh Peter Banoe, District Court
16. His Worship Augustine Essah, District Court
17. His Worship David Dokurigu Sebiyam, District Court
18. Her Worship Bernadine S. Abravi Senoo, District Court
19. His Worship Awal Narh, District Court
20. Her Worship Memunatu Yakubu, District Court

Source: Anchorghana.com