From ‘Otwebompitil” to the Supreme Court; congratulations, my lord Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo

On Wednesday evening, I was deciding whether to watch the Barca-Inter Champions League match or study for my Conveyancing and Drafting. While scrolling through WhatsApp, I saw exciting news. A “green letter” from the President’s Secretary listed Judges nominated for the Supreme Court. I confirmed with government sources that Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo had been nominated. What great news!

Initially, I planned to send him a simple congratulatory message. However, I decided to write a tribute for his well-deserved nomination. Justice Ackaah-Boafo is a man I admire for many reasons. He is knowledgeable about the law and has a nuanced understanding of it.

He has experience practicing in Canada and uses this knowledge to promote legal growth in Ghana. His ideas reflect modern jurisprudence while respecting traditional legal practices. He acknowledges that current contexts are important when interpreting laws.

I will summarize my reflections on him in three areas.

Integrity, Ethical Values, and Respect

Since October 2024, Justice Ackaah-Boafo has been an amazing lecturer on Legal Ethics. He teaches using Kantian philosophy and draws from his experience at the Ontario Bar in Canada. Our class reads legal provisions while he provides insights and case law examples.

Some rules require high moral discipline to follow. This sparked debates about Rule 35(1)(b) and Rule 63(2)(h). These rules require lawyers to cite adverse authorities even if they hurt their case.

Justice Ackaah-Boafo emphasizes that lawyers must prioritize their duty to the court over winning cases. He insists that integrity is a lawyer's greatest virtue. If something doesn’t look good or sound good as a lawyer, he advises against doing it.

He holds both trainee lawyers and practicing lawyers accountable for ethical standards. In his judgments, he often comments on maintaining professional conduct when necessary.

In one recent case, he criticized disrespectful behavior between two lawyers during proceedings. He noted that condescension towards colleagues is unacceptable in court.

Dedication to Justice and Legal Development

Justice Ackaah-Boafo is passionate about justice and developing sound legal principles. His judgments show he carefully examines evidence before making decisions.

He often highlights social issues needing attention through obiter dicta in his rulings. For example, medical malpractice claims are rare in Ghana due to cultural beliefs about death.

In the notable case of Dr. E.L.A Chinbuah vs Attorney General (37 Military Hospital), he addressed preventable maternal deaths in hospitals directly with doctors' responsibilities.

Recently, he criticized police practices of arresting individuals based solely on accusations without independent evidence during a criminal appeal case.

He emphasized that such practices undermine public trust in law enforcement and can lead to wrongful arrests based on personal motives rather than facts.

A Fine Jurist and Writer

Justice Ackaah-Boafo expresses his thoughts beautifully in his judgments. Many lawyers admire how he writes; I've read some of his decisions myself.

His style includes starting judgments with anecdotes or quotes, which adds depth to his writing.
For instance, he began one judgment by discussing friendship's fragility using an insightful quote.
In another recent case involving self-incrimination rights, he opened with an important principle of criminal law.
His introductions often highlight significant societal issues related to justice or ethics.
This refreshing approach sets him apart from many recent judgments from Ghanaian courts.

Conclusion

All of Justice Ackaah-Boafo’s students are thrilled about his nomination because we know these qualities make him an excellent choice for the Supreme Court.
We believe he will significantly contribute to developing Ghanaian law.
However, we might have longer judgments ahead when he's involved!
We also hope another favorite lecturer will be nominated soon so we can celebrate him too.
Congratulations again to My Lord Justice Ackaah-Boafo! We wish you success during this consideration process as you aim to leave your mark on our jurisprudence for years ahead.


The writer, Benjamin Alpha Aidoo, is a proud student of Justice Ackaah-Boafo at the Ghana School of Law. You can contact him via email at [email protected]