Eleven men and twelve women, totaling twenty-three new magistrates, have been sworn in by Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo.
Claudia Naa Anorkai Akuokor Abbey, Melissa Selorm Dadson, Georgette Carmel Lutterodt, Josephine Valeen Akorfa Akpanya-Hlover, Bright Ajosagi Akoande, Dromo Afarley Djarbeng, Jeroma Tawiah Owusu, and Anastacia Yaa Agyeiwaa Karimu are among them.
The others are Emmanuel Wiafe Adu, Juliana Millicent Ocran, Eric Kwarteng, Bitam Lari, Comfort Asamoah Sarpong, Gloria Afua Kesewa Asamani, Christian Mawusi, and Christabel Awo Tei Sasraku.
The rest are Jehoshaphat Achina Nyarko, Eugene Obeng-Ntim, Iddi Adama, Olivia Acquah-Dadzie, George Wellington Arhin and Godson Etse Kumado.
The Chief Justice led the new magistrates, who are now part of the lower bench, and will be presiding over cases at the district courts, to take the judicial, allegiance and oath of secrecy.
Advice
Justice Torkornoo called on judges to always put aside their personal biases in the discharge of their duties.
In line with that, she said they must navigate and discern from strongly argued positions by all parties to determine the truth, right and just in a case, using the court rules and the law in all honesty.
Justice Torkornoo said the job of a judge was to lead the various actors in the courtroom in a united pursuit of truth and justice guided by the principles of equity and fairness and administered in accordance with the law.
“If done right, judicial decisions must bring satisfaction.
This requires extreme dedication, integrity and unyielding adherence to principles.
“If you are transparent and if you act properly, even those you rule against would say ‘thank you’ with a smile,” she added.
Ethical values
The Chief Justice further reminded the magistrates to always remember their ethical values in the conduct of their work by adhering to truth, fairness, independence and competence.
She said the peace and stability the nation was enjoying was sustained largely in part because of the confidence citizens had in the legal and judicial systems.
“A robust judiciary needs, in equal measure, quality laws and quality judges and magistrates to discharge its constitutional mandate,” Justice Torkornoo added.
She further urged the magistrates to be abreast of the ever-evolving trend of legal and judicial procedures in the age of technology.
“Our commitment to deliver justice effectively and efficiently must manifest itself in the efforts of all judges to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and integrity of the processes before them,” the C-J said.
She urged the female magistrates to be ready to move to any part of the country they would be posted to, saying “gone were the days when ladies were restricted to the cities and towns”.
Duty
The Deputy Attorney General, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, also admonished the new magistrates to administer their duties with diligence and integrity, and without fear, favour, affection or ill will.
For his part, the President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Yaw Acheampong Boafo, in a speech read on his behalf by the Greater Accra Bar President, Agbesi Dzakpasu, told the magistrates that they were enjoined to use their new power and authority to serve all persons who appeared before them and not to engage in abuse of power.
SOURCE: Graphicsonline
