“We Must Not Lose Our Humanity Because of Judicial Office” – CJ Baffoe-Bonnie Tells Judges

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has stressed that judicial officers must not lose their humanity because of the demands of their office.

Speaking at the opening of the 45th Annual Conference of the Judges and Magistrates Association of Ghana, the Chief Justice acknowledged the difficulty of balancing professional restraint with personal relationships and social responsibilities.

His comments followed criticism over some of his public engagements and remarks concerning the performance of state institutions.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) had criticised some of his comments, describing them as partisan and calling on him to retract them or resign and join the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Responding to the broader criticism, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said he had recently faced difficulties in office because he allowed his humanity to override his official restraint.

“I have in recent times run into some trouble in this office precisely because I allowed my humanity to overtake my official restraint,” he said.

He explained that he had attended public events to honour close friends and relatives, while also undertaking official engagements in his capacity as Chair of the Council for Legal Education and Training.

According to him, some of these activities had attracted strong reactions and criticism.

He said the experiences had reinforced his belief that judicial officers should not completely abandon their human relationships and responsibilities after assuming judicial office.

“But these experiences, which have sometimes drawn a cacophony of noises, some of which border on pure mischief, have rather reminded me and reinforced my thinking that we must never abandon our humanity simply because we have assumed judicial office,” he said.

The Chief Justice, however, acknowledged that judges and other judicial officers must continue to maintain professional restraint while carrying out their duties.