Also known as: Justice Atuguba · retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba · former Supreme Court judge William Atuguba · Former Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba · Justice William Atuguba · former Supreme Court Justice
Retired Supreme Court Justice who comments publicly on constitutional law, prosecutorial powers, parliamentary governance, and partisan politics in Ghana.
Retired Supreme Court Judge Justice William Atuguba has questioned the rationale behind the continuous increase in the number of parliamentary seats in Ghana, saying that the country gains little from maintaining 275 Members of Parliament while the cost to the taxpayer continues …
Retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has questioned why the Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has not been appointed to a ministerial position, describing her as a principled leader whose integrity and commitment to public service make …
… The memorial lecture was delivered by retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba highlighting Justice Annan’s enduring impact on Ghana’s constitutional and parliamentary development. …
A former Supreme Court Judge, Justice William Atuguba, says he never personally experienced direct pressure from the executive arm of government to decide cases in a particular way during his time on the bench, but admits indirect influences on judges cannot be completely ruled o …
Retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has praised President John Mahama for retaining some officials appointed under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, describing the decision as a sign of leadership that places national interest above party politics. …
A former Supreme Court Justice, William Atuguba, has criticised what he describes as deep partisan entrenchment in Ghana, warning that excessive political loyalty is clouding judgment and preventing many citizens from honestly assessing national issues. …
Former Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has cautioned that the Supreme Court’s final decision on the powers of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) could reshape the broader framework of prosecutorial authority in Ghana, far beyond the immediate dispute involving the a …
Former Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has said Ghana’s constitutional framework clearly vests prosecutorial authority in the Attorney-General, but stressed that applying that principle to the ongoing dispute involving the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is legally c …
Civil society organisations expressing concern over the legal limitations currently facing the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) are reacting to a law that was enacted on their behalf, retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has said. …
Retired Supreme Court Judge William Atuguba has questioned the rationale for Ghana's parliamentary size, noting that the country has little to gain from maintaining 275 Members of Parliament while taxpayer costs continue to rise. He endorsed earlier criticism by former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, asking what true benefit citizens receive from Parliament's expansion from about 100 to 275 seats.
Retired Supreme Court Judge William Atuguba has questioned the rationale for Ghana's parliamentary size, noting that the country has little to gain from maintaining 275 Members of Parliament while taxpayer costs continue to rise. He endorsed earlier criticism by former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, asking what true benefit citizens receive from Parliament's expansion from about 100 to 275 seats.
Retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has questioned the absence of a ministerial appointment for Klottey Korle MP Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, praising her integrity and commitment to public service as qualities suited for higher national responsibility.
The Vice President, the Ga Mantse, and senior government and judiciary officials attended a memorial lecture at Parliament honouring the late Justice Daniel Francis Annan, former Speaker of Parliament (1993–2001), with retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba delivering remarks on Annan's contributions to Ghana's constitutional and parliamentary development.
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.
Retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has described President Mahama's retention of some officials appointed under the previous NPP administration as commendable leadership that places national interest above party politics, departing from Ghana's typical winner-takes-all pattern in government transitions.
Former Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has criticised deep partisan entrenchment in Ghana, saying excessive political loyalty clouds judgment and prevents citizens from assessing national issues objectively. He cited the cedi appreciation as an example, noting that some Ghanaians are reluctant to publicly acknowledge improvements because doing so may appear to support the governing administration.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Former Supreme Court judge William Atuguba has raised constitutional concerns about whether the Office of the Special Prosecutor can independently prosecute cases, arguing that Article 88 of Ghana's 1992 Constitution vests prosecutorial authority exclusively in the Attorney-General. Atuguba acknowledged that other institutions like the police have historically exercised prosecutorial powers, but only through delegated authority from the AG, and questioned whether such precedents apply within the current constitutional framework.
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.