Justices Kingsley Koomson, Yaw Gaewu sworn-in as Justices of the Supreme Court

President Akufo-Addo on Tuesday sworn-in justices Kingsley Koomson and Yaw Gaewu to the Supreme Court. 

“The post-1966 Supreme Court has developed a positive reputation for the quality of its constitutional jurisprudence and I am hopeful that you who have already given good accounts of yourselves in high judicial office in the Court of Appeal and the High Court, will help strengthen the development of nation’s constitutional and other jurisprudence in the Supreme Court,” President Akufo-Addo said at the swearing-in ceremony. 

The two were approved last week after Members of Parliament voted at a plenary session. 

In July last year, President Akufo-Addo nominated four(4) Justices Justices Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu, George Kingsley Koomson, Samuel Kwame Adibu Asiedu, and Ernest Yao Gaewu for the Supreme Court.

Per the letter from the presidency, their nomination is to make up for pending and projected vacancies at the court this year.

However, after their vetting, Parliament’s Appointment Committee in its 27th Report, recommended by consensus two of them; Justice Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu and Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu Asiedu for the appointment.

Subsequently, this recommendation was adopted at the plenary after the report was duly laid.

On their part, since they were only approved by a majority of the committee, they had to be subjected to the approval of the entire house either by consensus or vote.

As such on Friday, March 24, 2022, Members of Parliament did vote on the nominees.

In the end, Justice Ernest Gaewu secured 138 Yes votes against 134 Nos. while Justice George Kingsley Koomson had 149 Yes votes as against 133 No votes.

Already, two of the four nominees; Justices Ackah Yensu and Adibu have been sworn in and thus added to the number of Justices of the apex court.

The approval of the other two will bring the number of Supreme Court Justices to 16 currently pending the retirement of some this year.

Meanwhile, Justice Agnes Dordzie(JSC) and Justice Clemence Honyenuga have already retired.