Two judges from Ghana and Cameroon join African Court

The African Union Commission at its 41st Ordinary Session of the Executive Council held in Lusaka, Zambia has elected two Judges as members of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The newly elected Judges are: Justice Dennis Dominic Adjei who is a new entrance replacing Ms. Marie-Theresa Mukamulisa from Rwanda to occupy the floating seat for a six-year term renewable, while Justice Ms. Ntyam Ondo Mengue from Cameroon was re-elected for another six-year term.

A statement from the African Court and copied to the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema - Ghana has stated.

The African Court is composed of eleven Judges, nationals of the Member States of the African Union elected in their individual capacity.

The African Court was established by virtue of Article 1 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Protocol).

The Protocol establishing the African Court was adopted on June 9, 1998 in Burkina Faso and came into force on January 25, 2004 after it was ratified by more than 15 countries.

The mandate of the African Court is to complement and reinforce the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission – often referred to as the Banjul Commission), which is a quasi-judicial body charged with monitoring the implementation of the Charter.

The African Court applies the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other human rights instruments ratified by the States concerned. It does not have criminal jurisdiction like the International Criminal Court.

The African Court was established to complement and reinforce the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission – often referred to as the Banjul Commission), which is a quasi-judicial body charged with monitoring the implementation of the Charter.

Its mission is to enhance the protective mandate of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights by strengthening the human rights protection system in Africa and ensuring respect for and compliance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as other international human rights instruments, through judicial decisions.