Judicial Secretary directs court registrars on the issuance of Form 6
This directive comes on the back of a Supreme Court ruling delivered on 17 February 2026 in the case of Thomas Odei Boafo v. The Judicial Service & Another.
The Judicial Secretary, Justice Ahmed Musah, has issued a directive to all court registrars nationwide to ensure that only one Form 6 is issued when transmitting records of appeal to an appellate court, reinforcing procedural discipline across the judicial system.
The directive, communicated through an official circular dated 26 February 2026, emphasizes strict compliance with appellate processes and cautions against the issuance of multiple Form 6 documents within the same appeal. Registrars have been instructed to align their administrative practices accordingly to avoid procedural irregularities that could undermine the integrity of appeal proceedings.
This directive comes on the back of a Supreme Court ruling delivered on 17 February 2026 in the case of Thomas Odei Boafo v. The Judicial Service & Another. The apex court, sitting in Accra and presided over by Justice G. Pwamang with Justices Kulendi, Gaewu, Kwofie, and Amaleboba, addressed the proper procedure governing the issuance of Form 6 in appellate matters.
In its ruling, the Court clarified that once a record of appeal has been transmitted to the appellate court, only one Form 6 is required. The Court further held that even where the record is remitted to a lower court for rectification, its return to the appellate court does not necessitate the issuance of a new Form 6.
Applying these principles, the Court found that a second Form 6 had been wrongly issued in the case and accordingly set it aside. It also noted that the Statement of Case on record had been filed out of time, having regard to the timeline triggered by the first Form 6, and proceeded to set it aside as well.
Although the Court declined to set aside the Notice of Appeal for lack of reasonable grounds, it granted the application in part, using the opportunity to reinforce adherence to established appellate procedures and timelines.
The Judicial Secretary, Musah Ahmed, underscored in the circular that all Registrars must take due notice of the Court’s pronouncement and ensure strict adherence to the procedural guidance outlined in the ruling. The directive is expected to streamline appellate processes, reduce administrative errors, and strengthen consistency in court registry operations nationwide.
