A Legislative Reform Brief on Obsolete Offences and Inefficient Punishments in Act 29 Bertha Aniagyei Introduction The motivation for this brief reflection was prompted by the invocation of archaic laws by the current U.S. President, Donald Trump. Laws enacted as early as the 1800s, such as the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which had remained […]
Punishments This explainer discusses the judicial punishment of criminals under Ghanaian Criminal Law. Act 29: Criminal Offences Act of Ghana, 1960 Act 30: Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act of Ghana, 1960 Act 652: Juvenile Justice Act, 2003 Act 1034: Criminal Offences (Amendment) Act, 2020 Act 1101: Criminal Offences (Amendment) Act, 2023 Classes of Punishments
Ghanaian Legal System: Common Crimes and Their Penalties Read More »
STATEMENT BY CHIEF JUSTICE GERTRUDE SACKEY TORKORNOO Good afternoon, respected citizens, and honorable members of the media. Today, I have requested the privilege of making a Statement to the nation for four reasons. Historic Process The first reason is that the removal process that I am involved in as Chief Justice, is historic. In all of
Full Text: Statement by suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo Read More »
By Goodnuff Appiah Larbi Legal Researcher Within the first five months of his second term, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama has elevated seven Justices of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court of Ghana—a move that has drawn widespread commendation. Many observers have praised the appointments as a step toward strengthening the judiciary. Investigative
By Her Honour Judge Sedinam Awo Kwadam (Mrs.), Circuit Court 7, Accra, Ghana. 15th June, 2025. ABSTRACT The rule, nemo judex in causa sua (no one should be a judge in their own cause), stands as a foundational norm of natural justice, enshrined in both the common law tradition and Ghana’s constitutional framework. Despite its
It is trite law that jurisdiction is a fundamental threshold issue that determines the competence of a court to adjudicate a matter. Without jurisdiction, the court is precluded from proceeding on the merits of the case or making any enforceable orders. In the seminal case of Ghana Bar Association v Attorney-General (1995-1996) 1 GLR (Abban
The Civil Jurisdiction of the District Court Read More »
Judge: Jones Dotse JSC (writing for the Supreme Court) Facts: On June 22, 1998, two police officers, Valentino Gligah and Abdulai Aziz Atiso, allegedly raped Cynthia Nyante, a trader of second-hand clothes near the Kinbu Road and Central Police Station in Accra. The prosecution’s case was that Cynthia was summoned to the police office by
Case Brief: G/CPL Valentino Gligah and EC/1 Abdulai Aziz Atiso v. The Republic Read More »
Legal education is the process of learning about the law and the legal profession. It often consists of coursework at a law school, followed by hands-on experience in various legal aid clinics and extracurricular activities like moot courts and law reviews. In many jurisdictions, it involves taking a bar exam to prove one’s proficiency before
Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor: Democratisation of legal education in Ghana Read More »
Over the past couple of days, our screens have been splattered with headlines and scenes relating to Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of Ghana’s opposition party, the New Patriotic Party. Media reports indicated that on Monday, he was formally invited by the Police CID at the Headquarters in Accra, an invitation he honored. This invitation
Wontumi, Bail, and the Law’s True Purpose Read More »
By Her Honour Judge Sedinam Awo Kwadam (Mrs.), Circuit Court 7, Accra, Ghana. LLM. Candidate, International Criminal Law and Justice, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Accra, Ghana. 25th May, 2025. ABSTRACT Sexual violence constitutes a grave violation of human rights, undermining bodily autonomy, dignity, and gender equality. Despite its severe and
