New Supreme Court Justices pledge independence and impartiality

Newly sworn-in Supreme Court Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah has assured President John Dramani Mahama that she and her colleagues will uphold judicial independence and decide cases strictly under the law.

Justice Essah, speaking on behalf of three newly appointed Supreme Court Justices, said they would not allow personal preferences to influence their interpretation or application of the law.

“We are called not to bend the law to personal preference, but to interpret and apply it faithfully, impartially and courageously. That duty lies at the heart of the judicial office. We shall be independent enough to decide according to law,” she said.

She made the commitment at the Banquet Hall of the Presidency in Accra on Thursday, September 10, where she, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and private legal practitioner and former Ghana Bar Association President Tony Forson were sworn into office by President Mahama.

The three new Justices pledged to uphold the Constitution and administer justice without fear or favour, affection or ill will.

Justice Essah said the oaths they had taken would guide their conduct in every case before the apex court.

“Those words will not end here. They will find expression in every matter we hear and every judgment we deliver,” she said.

She described judicial office as a sacred public trust and said the new Justices were conscious that their authority was not intended for their personal benefit but was to be exercised in service to the Ghanaian people.

According to her, the Justices would have to show courage, particularly when faced with difficult decisions, while remaining faithful to the Constitution and Ghana’s laws.

Justice Essah also expressed gratitude to President Mahama for appointing them and acknowledged the roles played by the Judicial Council, the Council of State and Parliament in the appointment process.

Source: GNA