George Kingsley Acquah
Encyclopedia
Justice George Kingsley Acquah (4 March 1942 – 25 March 2007) was the twenty-third (23rd ) Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of Ghana
.(The eleventh since independence.) He was appointed as Chief Justice on 4 July 2003 and was the incumbent until his death. His appointment made it 3 out of 4 recent Chief Justices who were former students of Adisadel College
; the other 2 being Philip Edward Archer
-1991 and 1995 and Edward Kwame Wiredu
-2001 and 2003.
of Ghana
. He had his basic education in a number of schools, namely Half Assini Methodist School, Cape Coast Methodist School, Ashanti Bekwai Methodist School, Akim Oda Methodist School, Nkawkaw Methodist School and Dunkwa-on-Offin Anglican School. He attended Adisadel College
at Cape Coast
, from 1957 to 1963 for his secondary and sixth form (college) education. He was an undergraduate at the University of Ghana
, Legon
between 1964 and 1967 and obtained a B.A (Hons) degree in Philosophy. In 1970, he obtained the LL.B. (Hons) degree in Law from the same University. He then attended the Ghana Law School where he obtained his Professional Certificate in Law and was called to the Bar in 1972.
from 1972 until 19 September 1989 when he became a High Court Judge
, working at Ho
in the Volta Region
. He rose to become an Appeal Court
Judge in June 1994 and then a Supreme Court Judge a year later.
. He was married with six children.
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Supreme Court of Ghana
Supreme Court of Ghana
The Supreme Court of Ghana is the highest judicial body in Ghana. Ghana's 1992 constitution guarantees the independence and separation of the Judiciary from the Legislative and the Executive arms of government.-History:...
.(The eleventh since independence.) He was appointed as Chief Justice on 4 July 2003 and was the incumbent until his death. His appointment made it 3 out of 4 recent Chief Justices who were former students of Adisadel College
Adisadel College
Adisadel College is an Anglican school for boys in Cape Coast, Ghana, modelled on the English public school.-History:Adisadel was established in 1910 in a building at Topp Yard, near Christ Church and Cape Coast Castle...
; the other 2 being Philip Edward Archer
Philip Edward Archer
Philip Edward Archer was the Chief Justice of Ghana between 1991 and 1995. He was the eighth person to hold this position since Ghana became an independent nation.-Life:...
-1991 and 1995 and Edward Kwame Wiredu
Edward Kwame Wiredu
Edward Kwame Wiredu was the Chief Justice of Ghana between 2001 and 2003. He was the tenth since Ghana became an independent nation...
-2001 and 2003.
Early life
Justice Acquah was born on 4 March 1942 at Sekondi in the Western RegionWestern Region (Ghana)
The Western Region of Ghana, reaching from the Côte d'Ivoire border in the west to the Central Region in the east, includes the large twin city of Sekondi-Takoradi on the coast, coastal Axim, and a hilly inland area including Elubo. It includes Ghana's southernmost location, Cape Three Points,...
of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. He had his basic education in a number of schools, namely Half Assini Methodist School, Cape Coast Methodist School, Ashanti Bekwai Methodist School, Akim Oda Methodist School, Nkawkaw Methodist School and Dunkwa-on-Offin Anglican School. He attended Adisadel College
Adisadel College
Adisadel College is an Anglican school for boys in Cape Coast, Ghana, modelled on the English public school.-History:Adisadel was established in 1910 in a building at Topp Yard, near Christ Church and Cape Coast Castle...
at Cape Coast
Cape Coast
Cape Coast, or Cabo Corso, is the capital of the Central Region of Ghana and is also the capital city of the Fante people, or Mfantsefo. It is situated 165 km west of Accra on the Gulf of Guinea. It has a population of 82,291 . From the 16th century the city has changed hands between the...
, from 1957 to 1963 for his secondary and sixth form (college) education. He was an undergraduate at the University of Ghana
University of Ghana
The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian universities and tertiary institutions. It is one of the best universities in Africa and by far the most prestigious in West Africa...
, Legon
Legon
Legon, a suburb of the Ghanaian capital city Accra, is situated about twelve kilometres north-east of the city center. Legon is home to the main campus of the University of Ghana. The word "Legon" is derived from the indigenous Ga language of the people of Greater Accra; NI-LEY GON therefore "Hill...
between 1964 and 1967 and obtained a B.A (Hons) degree in Philosophy. In 1970, he obtained the LL.B. (Hons) degree in Law from the same University. He then attended the Ghana Law School where he obtained his Professional Certificate in Law and was called to the Bar in 1972.
Working life
Justice George Acquah was in private legal practice at Cape CoastCape Coast
Cape Coast, or Cabo Corso, is the capital of the Central Region of Ghana and is also the capital city of the Fante people, or Mfantsefo. It is situated 165 km west of Accra on the Gulf of Guinea. It has a population of 82,291 . From the 16th century the city has changed hands between the...
from 1972 until 19 September 1989 when he became a High Court Judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
, working at Ho
Ho, Ghana
Ho is a town in southeast Ghana and is the capital of the Volta Region. It lies between Mount Adaklu and Mount Galenukui , and is home to a museum, a cathedral and a large prison...
in the Volta Region
Volta Region
Volta Region is one of Ghana's ten administrative regions. It is to the east of Lake Volta. Its capital is Ho.-List of districts:The region has 18 districts consisting of 3 municipal and 15 ordinary districts:-Background:...
. He rose to become an Appeal Court
Appellate court
An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
Judge in June 1994 and then a Supreme Court Judge a year later.
Other roles
- Chairman, Budget Committee of the Judicial Service
- Chairman, Judicial Service Reform and Automation Committee
- Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education of the Judicial Service of Ghana
- Chairman, Disciplinary Committee of the Judicial Counci
- Chairman, Funeral Committee of the Judicial Service
- Chairman, Tender Board of the Judicial Service
- Member of the Judicial Council of Ghana
- Chairman, National Multi-Sectoral Committee on the Protection of the Rights of the Child
- Member, Rules of Court Committee
- Member, Appointments Committee of the Judicial Council
- Member, Africa Regional Council of the International Planned Parenthood Federation.
- Member of the Governing Council of the Ghana Legal Literacy and Resource Foundation
- Patron, Commonwealth Legal Education Association, London
- Honorary Legal Adviser of the International Planned Parenthood Federation;
- Editorial Advisor, Banking and Financial Law Journal of Ghana
- External Examiner (Law of Evidence) Ghana Law School
Honours
- June 2006 – Awarded the Order of the Star of Ghana (Member) – the highest honour of Ghana
Death
Justice Acquah died from cancer on 25 March 2007, aged 65, in AccraAccra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
. He was married with six children.