A Catholic Priest has made history after among the 16 High Court judges who were sworn in by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, September 16, 2020.
Though it is a known fact that some priests are lawyers, there is no record of when one was called to the bench as has the case of Reverend Father Joseph Adu Owusu-Agyemang who is the Parish Priest of All Saints Catholic Church, Santasi Fankyenebra in the Kumasi Archdiocese.
Ordained as Priest on July 14, 2007, in the Kumasi Archdiocese by Archbishop Peter Akwasi Sarpong, the legal luminary until his current position worked at Archdiocese’s legal service department.
Other Justices of the High Court sworn in by the President are Her Honour Eva Bannerman-Williams, His Honour Emmanuel Bart-Plange Brew, His Honour Yaw Owoahene Acheampong, His Honour Samuel Boakye-Yiadom, His Honour Abdul Yusif Asibey, Mrs. Elfreda Amy Dankyi, Mr. Samuel Faraday Johnson, Ms. Sheila Minta, Her Honour Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, Nana Yaw Gyamfi Frimpong, Mr. Ernest Yao Gaewu, Mr. Solomon Oppong-Twumasi, Mr. Charles Bentum, Mr. Joseph Adu-Owusu Agyeman, Mr. William Osei-Kuffour, and Mr. Douglas Seidu.
With the High Court having “jurisdiction in all matters, and, in particular, in civil and criminal matters, and such original, appellate and other jurisdiction as may be conferred on it by this Constitution or any other law”, and also “jurisdiction to enforce the Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms guaranteed by this Constitution”, President Akufo-Addo noted that much of judicial work begins and ends there.
“It is, therefore, critical for the growth of the nation that the High Court commands the respect of the people by the quality of its justice, as well as by the comportment of its judges,” he added
