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VIDEO: Justice Lovelace-Johnson slams Atuguba over research on judges’ political leanings

Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson, a justice designate to the Supreme Court of Ghana, has taken a swipe at Professor Raymond Akongburo Atuguba, the Dean of the School of Law, University of Ghana, Legon over his research which seeks to establish that judgements by justices of the court are influenced their political leanings.

The learned professor’s research indicated that voting pattern amongst justices of the apex court have mostly been influenced by the political administration which appointed them.

At GIMPA Law Conference last year, Prof Atuguba explained to the gathering, among whom were supreme court judges, that from about one hundred cases in Ghana analysed, he realised that voting patterns of the bench mostly favoured the parties which appointed them.

He stated this during his presentation: “It is not a coincidence that this happened…and it will soon be discovered by the general populace and it may be too late then to gain public trust and respect for the court. The time to act is now”.

These findings however scraped nerves and angered the justices of the supreme court including Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson, who on Monday morning told the parliamentary vetting committee that as a judge, she has not had that experience the learned professor was talking about.

“I am a judge, I sit in it so you should take my word rather than Prof. Atuguba’s word. I am sitting in it, it is not true. I have given my judgement. Whoever put me in the position does not matter in the least. I apply the law, I do what is right in accordance with law,” she told the vetting committee, attracting some murmuring from the audience.

She explained that the judges’ decisions must not necessarily conform to public opinion.

“So, it might not sit well with the person but it may be in accordance with the law. Sometimes someone may see clearly that someone is guilty of an offence, the law says if someone is charged with murder and they even say, ‘I’m guilty’ you are supposed to enter not guilty, that is the law,” Justice Lovelace-Johnson said.

She explained that judges only apply the laws made for them by the legislative arm of government.

“I don’t know where Prof Atuguba got his research from. It is not true in my experience,” she stressed.

 

 

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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