Ghana's apex court that has awarded compensation to wrongfully convicted persons and is determining constitutional questions regarding prosecutorial authority under the 1992 Constitution.
Justice William Atuguba says he did not personally experience direct pressure from the executive arm of government to decide cases in a particular way during his time on the Supreme Court bench, though he acknowledges that indirect influences on judges cannot be completely ruled out. He noted that whether such informal attempts succeed depends on the individual judge's character and values.
28 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Justice William Atuguba says he did not personally experience direct pressure from the executive arm of government to decide cases in a particular way during his time on the Supreme Court bench, though he acknowledges that indirect influences on judges cannot be completely ruled out. He noted that whether such informal attempts succeed depends on the individual judge's character and values.
28 April 2026 · Joy Online →
The High Court in Accra has dismissed an application by former National Service Authority Deputy Executive Director Gifty Oware-Mensah seeking to halt her trial. Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay ordered the prosecution to proceed with its case, with the matter adjourned to May 11.
28 April 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Former Supreme Court judge William Atuguba has sought to allay concerns that corruption cases handled by the Office of the Special Prosecutor could be invalidated if the Supreme Court rules against its prosecutorial authority, amid legal debate over the interpretation of Article 88 of Ghana's 1992 Constitution and its relationship with the OSP Act.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Former Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba warns that the Supreme Court's decision on the Office of the Special Prosecutor's powers could reshape Ghana's broader prosecutorial framework and redefine the relationship between the Attorney-General and other institutions exercising delegated prosecutorial functions. The case raises fundamental constitutional questions about how prosecutorial powers are exercised, delegated, and limited under the 1992 Constitution, and could test long-standing delegation practices that have never been fully examined under the current constitutional framework.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Former Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba says Ghana's Constitution vests prosecutorial authority in the Attorney-General, but applying this principle to the ongoing Office of the Special Prosecutor dispute is legally complex and not straightforward. He notes that other state agencies like the Ghana Police Service also exercise prosecutorial functions under delegated authority, a practice rooted in earlier legislative arrangements, raising questions about whether such delegation remains valid.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Civil society organisations have expressed concern over a High Court ruling that the Office of the Special Prosecutor cannot prosecute corruption-related cases without authorisation from the Attorney-General, describing it as a setback for anti-corruption efforts. Retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba acknowledged their frustration but said the law must be enforced as enacted and that civil society's concerns must be weighed against legal requirements.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has called for public caution on commentary regarding the Office of the Special Prosecutor's legal dispute, saying the matter should await final Supreme Court determination before broader public debate. The case centres on whether the OSP can independently prosecute corruption-related offences without Attorney-General authorisation, with a High Court ruling that it cannot—a decision now under appeal at the Supreme Court.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →
The Supreme Court has awarded GH¢800,000 to Yaw Appiah, a bar owner wrongfully convicted of robbery who spent nearly 19 years in prison before being acquitted by the Court of Appeal in March 2025. The decision, delivered on February 10, 2026, followed his initial conviction and 45-year sentence in 2011.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Legal luminary Tsatsu Tsikata has said he maintains professional boundaries when appearing before judges who were once his students, focusing on respect for their judicial role rather than past relationships. He noted that he has felt proud of court decisions even when rulings went against him, if the judicial reasoning was sound.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Legal veteran Tsatsu Tsikata says he deliberately downplays his history as a former lecturer to judges he now appears before in court, emphasizing that courtroom roles must take precedence over past academic relationships.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →