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Sunday, 23 August 2026
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Ghanaian press · Person

Chief Justice

Also known as: Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie · His Lordship Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie · Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo · Torkornoo · former Chief Justice of Ghana · Paul Kwadwo Baffoe-Bonnie · Justice Paul Kwadwo Baffoe-Bonnie · Paul Baffoe-Bonni · Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonni · His Lordship the Chief Justice · Paul Baffoe-Bonney · Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonney

Chief Justice — judicial officer with constitutional authority to direct case scheduling, including during legal vacation periods.

2026-04-262026-08-23

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. August 2026
  2. Joy Online

    Lawyer for former National Signals Bureau (NSB) boss Kwabena Adu-Boahene, Samuel Atta Akyea, has questioned why the Chief Justice has directed that his client’s case and another high-profile criminal case be given expedited hearing.

    Why these 2 cases? – Atta Akyea questions Chief Justice’s expedited trial order
  3. Joy Online

    Remarks by His Lordship the Chief Justice at the congress of the Senior Staff Association of the Judicial Service of Ghana must bring firm clarity to one issue in the ongoing, rather needless, legal vacation debate.

    The Law 101: Vacation warrants and the role of the CJ (Part IV)
  4. Joy Online

    The Majority Chief Whip and President of the Ghana Law Society, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has criticised the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) for responding to concerns raised by law firms over the availability of lawyers during proceedings on the petition against the Chief Justice.

    GBA has no business responding to law firms’ petitions – Dafeamekpor
  5. Joy Online

    But one cannot isolate Rule 4 from Rule 1(1), which expressly provides that the vacation provisions are “subject to” the power of the Chief Justice to appoint any day, including vacation days, for the hearing of causes or matters as circumstances require.

    Is Legal Vacation intended for the Bench or the Bar?
  6. Joy Online

    Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, August 11, Mr Anyenini said while he does not disagree with the Chief Justice’s position on the need to expedite the determination of cases, he believes the absence of defence counsel could affect the continuation of the trial.

    ‘Case may not continue without counsel’ – Samson Lardy Anyenini on Adu-Boahene trial
  7. Joy Online

    The panel subsequently sought permission from the Chief Justice to sit during the legal vacation.

    Over 1,000 NDC women petition A-G for Sedina’s release, Volta youth group backs call
  8. The Ghanaian Times

    Justice Srem-Sai has faulted the President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) over claims made in a letter to the Chief Justice dated August 10, 2024, regarding the conduct of trials during the legal vacation.

    GBA President ‘in error’ on legal vacation, trial – Deputy AG
  9. Joy Online

    The defence team had earlier written to the Chief Justice indicating that they would not be available to participate in proceedings during the legal vacation.

    Adu-Boahene, wife may cross-examine prosecution witness themselves if lawyers stay away, Judge warns
  10. Joy Online

    Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Justice Srem-Sai, has rejected allegations of selective justice in the Chief Justice’s decision to direct selected courts to sit during the legal vacation.

    Selective justice claims false, lawyers only trying to delay cases — Deputy AG
  11. Joy Online

    Dr Srem-Sai said the Chief Justice had issued warrants authorising a number of judges to sit during the vacation to deal with cases assigned to them.

    GBA got it completely wrong on legal vacation — Deputy A-G
Politics

Supreme Court ruling on vacation court warrants sparks legal debate

The News

A Supreme Court judgment by Justice Gabriel Pwamang on an injunction application against the Chief Justice's vacation court has prompted critique over its treatment of lawyers' working conditions and judicial discretion. The ruling emphasizes public interest and the constitutional right to expeditious trial, but critics argue it overlooks practical realities of litigation practice.

21 August 2026 · Joy Online

Friday 21 August

  1. Supreme Court ruling on vacation court warrants sparks legal debate

    A Supreme Court judgment by Justice Gabriel Pwamang on an injunction application against the Chief Justice's vacation court has prompted critique over its treatment of lawyers' working conditions and judicial discretion. The ruling emphasizes public interest and the constitutional right to expeditious trial, but critics argue it overlooks practical realities of litigation practice.

    21 August 2026 · Joy Online

  2. Supreme Court dismisses Oppong Nkrumah injunction to halt trials

    The Supreme Court dismissed Ofoase-Ayirebi MP Kojo Oppong Nkrumah's application to stop selected criminal trials during the legal vacation (August–September). Oppong Nkrumah has signalled his legal team will study the ruling before deciding whether to seek a review, noting the judge acknowledged differential treatment of some cases but found it did not violate constitutional provisions.

    21 August 2026 · Joy Online

Wednesday 19 August

  1. Ghana School of Law SRC seeks relief for referred students

    The President-elect of the Ghana School of Law Students' Representative Council has petitioned the Independent Examinations Committee for a one-time transitional dispensation allowing Part I students who fail more than two subjects to rewrite rather than repeat the year, citing exceptional circumstances from the introduction of a new legal education regime that discontinues the existing PLC programme.

    19 August 2026 · Joy Online

Tuesday 18 August

  1. Deputy AG criticises GBA's legal vacation court interpretation

    Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has rejected the Ghana Bar Association's position on legal vacation, calling the interpretation "bizarre" and "not workable." He argued that vacation judges are entitled to their own vacation time after working during the August–September court closure and can hear substantive cases from their own courts, not only motions and urgent matters.

    18 August 2026 · Joy Online

Monday 17 August

  1. Deputy AG defends NDC speedy trials push as constitutional duty

    Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has defended the government's push for speedy trials, arguing that the NDC's position aligns with constitutional requirements that accused persons have cases determined without undue delay. He rejected claims that the government was manipulating the legal vacation to secure favourable outcomes in cases involving former government officials.

    17 August 2026 · Joy Online

  2. Deputy AG defends speedy trials amid justice manipulation allegations

    Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem-Sai has challenged critics who claim the government's pursuit of quick trials manipulates justice for partisan ends, arguing that speed alone does not pervert justice. He defended the use of vacation judges to hear cases during legal vacation, saying they are entitled to handle urgent matters while on break.

    17 August 2026 · Joy Online

  3. Deputy AG rejects bar association stance on vacation court trials

    Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has rejected claims that criminal trials should not be conducted during the legal vacation without lawyers' consent, arguing that allowing lawyers to determine when cases are heard would undermine the judiciary's purpose. He disputed the Ghana Bar Association's interpretation as unworkable, saying it would leave vacation judges unable to hear cases for months.

    17 August 2026 · Joy Online

  4. Adu-Boahene trial adjourned pending Supreme Court injunction decision

    The Accra High Court has adjourned the trial of former NSB Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene and his wife to August 25, pending the Supreme Court's determination of an injunction application that seeks to restrain the High Court from hearing the case during legal vacation.

    17 August 2026 · Joy Online

Friday 14 August

  1. MP challenges Chief Justice directive on judges' legal vacation work

    Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, MP for Ofoase Ayirebi, has filed a writ at the Supreme Court challenging the Chief Justice's decision to allow judges to hear selected criminal cases during legal vacation, arguing it violates constitutional provisions on equality, fairness, and workers' rights, and constitutes selective justice.

    14 August 2026 · The Ghanaian Times

  2. Prof Asare questions constitutional basis of Oppong Nkrumah's legal vacation lawsuit

    Professor Kwaku Asare has challenged whether the Chief Justice's decision to allow selected criminal trials during the legal vacation violates constitutional rights, as claimed by former Education Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in a Supreme Court suit. Asare questioned what aspect of directing judges to continue hearing criminal cases could constitute unfair, unreasonable, arbitrary or biased conduct under the Constitution.

    14 August 2026 · Joy Online

  3. Lawyer challenges Chief Justice's criminal trial orders during legal vacation

    Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has filed suit in the Supreme Court challenging the Chief Justice's warrants directing selected judges to conduct criminal trials during the legal vacation, arguing the orders are unconstitutional and amount to selective justice that violates the health and rights of judges and lawyers.

    14 August 2026 · Joy Online

Thursday 13 August

  1. Order 79 grants Chief Justice power to schedule trials during vacation

    Under the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004, Order 79 Rule 1(1) vests in the Chief Justice the power to appoint any day, including vacation days, for hearing cases "as circumstances require," making vacation periods not inherently unsuitable for trials.

    13 August 2026 · Joy Online

  2. GBA President's claims on vacation courts lack legal support

    An opinion piece contests the Ghana Bar Association President's claims in an August 10, 2026 letter to the Chief Justice that vacation judges do not conduct trials and that counsel control whether to appear before vacation courts. The writer argues neither claim is supported by law, rules, practice, or reason.

    13 August 2026 · Daily Guide

Wednesday 12 August

  1. Legal researcher challenges two-month Superior Court vacation

    A legal researcher has filed a case at the Supreme Court asking it to declare unconstitutional Ghana's two-month annual legal vacation (August 1 to September 30), arguing that the closure of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court delays justice and limits court access, particularly affecting the constitutional right to a fair hearing within reasonable time.

    12 August 2026 · The Ghanaian Times

  2. Former AG Otoo criticises forcing lawyers to court during legal vacation

    Former Attorney General Ayikoi Otoo has criticised the decision to compel lawyers to appear in court during the legal vacation, calling it unfair and something that should only occur in exceptional circumstances. Mr Otoo said that while the Chief Justice has authority to issue court directions under High Court rules, such powers should be exercised sparingly and with regard to established legal practice.

    12 August 2026 · Joy Online

  3. Hanan Abdul-Wahab wife's trial adjourned to August after counsel absences

    The High Court in Accra adjourned the criminal case of former NAFCO CEO Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba and his wife Faiza Seidu Wuni to August 17, 2026, after lawyers for both accused failed to appear in court. The Deputy Attorney-General questioned explanations for the absences, noting that lead counsel had previously indicated unavailability during legal vacation and requesting medical evidence.

    12 August 2026 · Joy Online

  4. Chief Justice defends specialised courts for corruption and galamsey cases

    Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonney has defended the establishment of specialised courts to handle corruption, financial crimes, and illegal mining cases, saying the initiative is not a political witch-hunt but rather intended to strengthen the justice system and ensure accountability. He stated the courts would expedite handling of financial malfeasance identified in Auditor-General reports and facilitate recovery of misused public funds.

    12 August 2026 · The Ghanaian Times

  5. Article lists 26 vacation judges and their assigned courts

    Joy Online publishes a list of 26 vacation judges nationwide and their courts, following controversy over the Chief Justice's selection of cases to be heard during the legal vacation.

    12 August 2026 · Joy Online

  6. Chief Justice has power to direct specific cases during vacation, lawyer says

    The Young Lawyers Forum President has defended the Chief Justice's authority to direct that specific cases, including trials, be heard during legal vacation, arguing that the distinction between substantive and procedural matters is not clear-cut and that vacation courts are not limited strictly to interlocutory matters and emergency applications.

    12 August 2026 · Joy Online

  7. Young Lawyers Forum challenges GBA stance on vacation court limits

    The Young Lawyers Forum President argues that vacation courts can handle substantive matters, not just interlocutory proceedings, citing that applications filed during court vacation can effectively determine case outcomes, such as summary judgment motions.

    12 August 2026 · Joy Online

Tuesday 11 August

  1. Lawyer questions Chief Justice's expedited trial directive

    Samuel Atta Akyea, lawyer for former NSB boss Kwabena Adu-Boahene, has questioned the Chief Justice's directive to fast-track his client's case and another high-profile criminal case, describing it as selective justice while other serious criminal cases remain pending in court.

    11 August 2026 · Joy Online

  2. CJ's role clarifies judicial discretion during court vacation recess

    Remarks by the Chief Justice have clarified that judges, not the CJ, have authority to grant adjournments during legal vacation, and that standard administrative warrants authorizing vacation courts to sit are routine annual authorizations covering entire dockets rather than special commands for daily trial sittings. The proper forum for counsel seeking relief is before the trial judge, who has historically exercised discretion to accommodate counsel unavailable during the recess.

    11 August 2026 · Joy Online

  3. GBA should not respond to law firms' petitions, says Dafeamekpor

    The Majority Chief Whip and Ghana Law Society President Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor criticised the Ghana Bar Association for responding to concerns from law firms over lawyer availability during Chief Justice proceedings, arguing that law firms are not GBA members and the association has no basis to respond to their petitions.

    11 August 2026 · Joy Online

  4. Legal vacation debate exposes conflation of practice with law

    An analysis argues that the Ghana debate on legal vacation conflates established practice with binding law, and contends that the Chief Justice's powers under High Court rules qualify vacation periods, supporting positions by the Deputy Attorney-General and Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare over the Ghana Bar Association's stance.

    11 August 2026 · Joy Online

  5. Defence counsel absence could block Adu-Boahene trial continuation

    Legal practitioner Samson Lardy Anyenini has questioned whether the criminal trial of former National Signals Bureau Director Kwabena Adu-Boahene can continue if his defence lawyer is unavailable during the legal vacation. Adu-Boahene's lead counsel Samuel Atta Akyea stayed away from court on Tuesday, citing the traditional right of lawyers to rest during vacation.

    11 August 2026 · Joy Online

  6. Over 1,100 NDC women petition A-G for Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu's release

    More than 1,100 women, including traders and NDC organisers in Greater Accra, have petitioned the Attorney-General to release former MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu from Nsawam Prison following the Court of Appeal's July 30, 2026 acquittal that overturned her 10-year sentence, expressing concern about her continued detention despite the appellate court's decision.

    11 August 2026 · Joy Online

  7. Deputy AG disputes GBA President's vacation court claims

    Legal practitioner Dr. Justice Srem-Sai has contested two assertions made by the Ghana Bar Association President in an August 10, 2024 letter to the Chief Justice regarding trials during legal vacation. Srem-Sai argues that Vacation Courts can handle substantive matters including trials, and that the Chief Justice—not lawyers—determines when courts operate.

    11 August 2026 · The Ghanaian Times

  8. Judge warns defendants to secure lawyers or self-represent in trial

    A High Court judge in Accra has given former NSB Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene and his wife six days to secure their lawyers' presence for their trial's continuation on August 17, warning that if they appear without counsel, they must personally cross-examine the prosecution witness or the witness will be discharged. The defendants appeared without their legal team on August 11, citing the legal vacation.

    11 August 2026 · Joy Online

  9. Deputy AG rejects selective justice claims over vacation court sittings

    Justice Minister Srem-Sai has dismissed allegations of selective justice in the Chief Justice's direction for selected courts to sit during the legal vacation (August 1–September 30), stating that multiple judges across the country have been designated as vacation judges. He added that lawyers with legitimate difficulties can seek adjournment by appearing before the court and explaining their circumstances.

    11 August 2026 · Joy Online

  10. Deputy AG disputes GBA stance on court proceedings during vacation

    Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has dismissed the Ghana Bar Association's position on legal vacation as having no basis in law, stating that the judiciary, not lawyers, has authority to determine when courts sit, and that vacation courts have always been constituted to conduct proceedings during legal vacations.

    11 August 2026 · Joy Online

Chief Justice — Ghanaian press coverage · Ghana Minute