Kwasi Anin-Yeboah
JSC
Chief Justice of Ghana
In office
7 January 2020 – 23 May 2023
Nominated byNana Akufo-Addo
Preceded bySophia Akuffo
Succeeded byGertrude Torkornoo
Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana
In office
11 June 2008 – 23 May 2023
Nominated byJohn Kufuor
Justice of the Court of Appeal
In office
16 September 2003 – 11 June 2008
Nominated byJohn Kufuor
Justice of the High Court
In office
June 2002 – 16 September 2003
Nominated byJohn Kufuor
Personal details
Born (1953-05-24) May 24, 1953
EducationAmaniampong Senior High School
Apam Senior High School
Alma materUniversity of Ghana
Ghana School of Law

Kwasi Anin-Yeboah JSC (born 24 May 1953) is a Ghanaian judge and the immediate past Chief Justice of Ghana. In December 2019, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo nominated Justice Anin-Yeboah as the Chief Justice of Ghana.[1]

Early life and education

Anin Yeboah was born in Toase in the Ashanti Region of Ghana on 24 May 1953.[2] He attended Amaniampong Secondary School and Apam Secondary School from 1968 to 1976.[3] He then continued his education at the University of Ghana and later the Ghana School of Law graduating in 1981.[4]

After graduating from law school he served as an Assistant state Attorney at the Attorney General Office in Koforidua.[5] He proceeded to work as a partner at the Koforidua branch of Afisem Chambers.[6] He was later elected as the Eastern Regional Bar President.[6]

He served as a Justice of the High Court from 2002 to 2003 and the Court of Appeal from 2003 to 2008 in Ghana.[7] Justice Anin Yeboah has also provided his legal experience to football in his country, serving as Chairman both locally and nationally, as the Disciplinary Committee for the Eastern Region Football Association (FA) and Appeal Committee at the Ghana Football Association from 2004 to 2008.[4][6][8][9][10] He is currently the chairman of the Legal Aid Board and Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of The General Legal Council of Ghana. Anin-Yeboah was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ghana by President John Kufuor in June 2008.[7] Justice Anin Yeboah is currently the fourth longest-serving Justice of the Supreme Court.[8][11]

Appointment as chief justice

In December 2019, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo nominated Justice Anin-Yeboah to replace Sophia Akuffo as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana.[12][13][14] His vetting was opposed by the Executive Director for the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson who wanted Parliament to put on hold, the vetting of Justice Anin Yeboah to allow for CHRAJ to complete investigations on a petition against the nominee.[15] Mr. Mensah had alleged that Justice Anin Yeboah has not disclosed his assets and liabilities as required by law.[16][17][18] The following was the findings and decisions of CHRAJ with respect to the non-declaration of asset as raised by Mr. Mensah.

Findings

At the end of the preliminary investigations the commission finds as a fact that the respondent has complied with article 286 of the constitution by declaring his assets and liabilities to the auditor general.[19]

Decision

Having found out that the respondent had declared his assets and liabilities at the time the allegations were made and having satisfied the conditions for holding that office then, albeit a late submission, what should be the appropriate action that the commissioner should take in respect of the results of the investigation?[19]

The commission is of the considered view that having found that the respondent has complied with article 286, the appropriate action in the circumstances would be to dismiss the compliant as overtaking, unsubstantiated and not made out. The compliant is accordingly dismissed.[19]

Anin Yeboah whose appointment by Akuffo-Addo was in consultation with the Council of State as stipulated by the Constitution of Ghana was approved as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana by the Parliament of Ghana after vetting in December 2019. He is the first male Chief Justice in 12 years.[7]

Justice Anin Yeboah was sworn in as the 14th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana on 7 January 2020.[18]

2020 election petition hearing

The Supreme Court led by the Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah dismissed the election petition which sought for a re-run of the 2020 election by the Petitioner, John Dramani Mahama as the presidential candidate of NDC.[20]

John Mahama was challenging the election on the basis that his contender Nana Akufo-Addo and the other eight presidential candidates did not attain the mandatory 50%+1 vote constitutional threshold to be declared the winner of the polls.[21][22][23]

Contribution to academia

In addition to his work as a Justice of the Supreme Court he also serves as a Part-Time lecturer at the Ghana School of Law where he teaches Civil procedure and Ghana Legal System.[8] Justice Anin-Yeboah's Legal experience includes writing judgement in constitutional matters, civil and criminal cases. He also provides opinions on legal matters in the West African nation.[9]

International assignments

FIFA is an international soccer's governing body and organizer of global tournaments including the World up. It was founded in 1904. It has a membership of 211.[24] The following are some positions he occupied in the international arena.

  • He rose to become a member of the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA and he was subsequently appointed in May 2017, as Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the 67th FIFA Congress in Bahrain[8]
  • Chairman of the FIFA Ethics Committee,[4] a body primarily responsible for investigating possible infringements of the FIFA Code of Ethics.[8]
  • He is also the current Chairman of the Legal aid board.[6]
  • Anin Yeboah has also served in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) [8]
  • In September 2019, he was named onto the CAF/FIFA Reform Implementation Taskforce team for African football.[8]

Retirement

Anin Yeboah officially retired from Judiciary service on his birthday 24 May 2023. During a farewell party organised by the Ghana Bar Association, the president, Nana Akufo-Addo described him as one whose tenure brought honour to the Judiciary. According to him; "Chief Justice Anin-Yeboah has been an exceptional leader to the judiciary. He has guarded jealously the judiciary and his conduct has brought honour to the judiciary and to our country. Not only has he continued with the modernisation of activities of the judiciary, but his tenure of office has also seen arguably the largest infrastructural development undertaken in the history of the judiciary".[25]

Anin-Yeboah was replaced by Justice Jones Dotse the most senior justice of the Supreme Court as acting Chief Justice until a substantive Chief Justice was appointed. Justice Gertrude Torkornoo the Chief Justice elect nominated by the president, has been approved by Parliament, however, she is yet to be officially sworn into office by the president.[26][27][28]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Breaking News: Anin-Yeboah nominated as next CJ". Myjoyonline. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  2. ↑ "Odekro | What has your MP done for you?". staging odekro. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  3. ↑ "Debates of 3 Jun 2008". Odekro. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "Who We Are - News - Amin Yeboah (GHA)". Fifa. Archived from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  5. ↑ "Anin-Yeboah: New Chief Justice takes office". BusinessGhana. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Profile of Chief Justice Anin Yeboah". Prime News Ghana. 2020-01-07. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  7. 1 2 3 "Confirmed: President Akufo-Addo forwards Justice Anin Yeboah's name to Parliament as next Chief Justice". Graphic Online. 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "FIFA Disciplinary Committee Chairman, Anin Yeboah Nominated Ghana's New Chief Justice :: Ghana Olympic Committee". Ghana Olympics. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  9. 1 2 "Nana Picks Anin-Yeboah As Chief Justice". DailyGuide Network. 2019-12-13. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  10. ↑ Service, Judicial. "Justice Anin Yeboah is 14th Chief Justice of Ghana". judicial.government of ghana. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  11. ↑ Agyeman, Adwoa (2019-12-19). "Vetting of Justice Anin Yeboah to be held on Monday". Adomonline. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  12. ↑ "Nana Addo nominates Anin Yeboah as new Chief Justice". citinewsroom.com. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  13. ↑ "Breaking News: Anin-Yeboah nominated as next CJ". Myjoyonline. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  14. ↑ "Justice Anin Yeboah tipped for Chief Justice". Graphic Online. 2019-12-05. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  15. ↑ "Suspend today's vetting of Chief Justice nominee – ASEPA demands". CNR. 23 December 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  16. ↑ Yamoah, Nathaniel (2020-05-20). "CHRAJ throws out 'declaration of assets' petition against Chief Justice Anin Yeboah". Ghana Justice. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  17. ↑ "CHRAJ throws out 'declaration of assets' petition against Chief Justice Anin Yeboah". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  18. 1 2 "Supreme Court of Ghana: New Chief Justice | CCJA". Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  19. 1 2 3 "CHRAJ dismisses ASEPA's petition against CJ". GhanaWeb. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  20. ↑ "Supreme Court dismisses Mahama's Election Petition". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  21. ↑ "'Your case no get merit', Ghana Supreme Court throw out NDC petition over election result". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  22. ↑ "Supreme Court dismisses Mahama's Election Petition". News Ghana. 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  23. ↑ "Supreme Court dismisses Mahama's 2020 election petition". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  24. ↑ "FIFA Fast Facts". CNN. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  25. ↑ "Anin-Yeboah is an exceptional CJ, his conduct brought honour to judiciary – Akufo-Addo". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2023-05-21. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  26. ↑ "Justice Anin-Yeboah officially retires; Justice Dotse takes over". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2023-05-24. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  27. ↑ Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson (25 May 2023). "Chief Justice Anin Yeboah retires "Justice Dotse acts"". Graphic Online. Accra: Graphic Communications Group Limited. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  28. ↑ "Parliament approves Gertrude Torkornoo as Chief Justice". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
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