It's dangerous to describe a judge as political; there’s nothing as such — Justice Kwofie
Supreme Court nominee, Justice Anthony Henry Kwofie, has refuted allegations of political judges in the judiciary, asserting that it is dangerous to label judges as political stooges.
During the vetting process on Wednesday, Justice Kwofie reacted to Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson's question about the perceived political affiliations of judges.
He denied the existence of political judges and emphasized the importance of judges acting by their conscience and the oaths they take.
“There are no political judges. It is dangerous to describe a judge as political this, political that. It is a very dangerous thing for even a judge to allow himself to be described that way.
“If a judge has to act according to his conscience and according to the oath that he takes, there are no political judges,” Justice Kwofie affirmed.
In addition to dispelling claims of political affiliation, Justice Kwofie addressed concerns about the perception of corruption against the judiciary.
He highlighted the complexity of dealing with such perceptions and stressed the need for strong public education and sensitisation to address public concerns and enhance transparency.
“The perception about corruption is a mind issue. And perceptions are difficult to deal with. There have been several seminars not by the association but by the judiciary on corruption, on ethics, and as I said we also have a complaint unit…Almost every year we do it," Justice Kwofie explained.