Lawyer calls for more protection for judges on Martyrs' Day

A Takoradi-based legal practitioner, Hoenyefia Bodza-Lumor, has called for the protection of judges, magistrates and all those engaging in the dispensation of justice from physical harm to enable them uphold the rule of law.

When those tasked with upholding law and order are cowed into becoming timorous souls for fear of their lives, he said, the whole society would suffer.

Mr Bodza-Lumor said this when delivering a lecture organized by the Western Regional branch of the Ghana Bar Association to mark this year's Martyrs' Day in commemoration of the abduction and murder of three justices of the High Court in 1982.

On that fateful day, Justices Fred Poku Sarkodee, Cecilia Koranteng-Addow, Kwaswo Agyei Agyepong and Major Sam Acquah (rtd), Director of Personnel, Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation (GIHOC) were abducted and murdered.

Mr Bodza-Lumor added that much as it is the duty of government to ensure the protection of those involved in the dispensation of justice, civil society must also insist that this is done for their own protection.

He bemoaned the practice where persons found guilty of the murdering the judges - Amartey Kwei, Lance Corporal Senya, Lance Corporal Johnny Dzandu and Tony Tekpor - were all executed without being given the chance to appeal against the sentence, insisting that provisions of the right of parties of appeal all the way to the Supreme Court is part of the country's court system.

He said the Criminal Code gives convicted persons 30 days within which to appeal against convictions and sentence but that Amartey Kwei and his colleagues were quickly executed two days after conviction and sentence.

Story by Ghana/GNA