Supreme Court nominee, Justice Sir Denis Dominic Adjei, has voiced strong opposition to the mandatory imposition of the death penalty on convicted criminals, describing it as inconsistent with Ghana’s constitutional development.
He argued that such sentencing infringes on the rights of the accused and should therefore be removed from Ghana’s legal framework.
According to Justice Adjei, Ghana’s status as a signatory to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights makes it imperative to align national laws with the Charter’s provisions.
Upholding the mandatory death sentence, he said, constitutes a clear violation of those human rights obligations.
Justice Adjei made these remarks during his vetting before the Appointments Committee of Parliament, where he appeared as a Supreme Court nominee selected by the President.
Addressing the issue of judicial independence, Justice Adjei acknowledged that while judges are constitutionally guaranteed independence in the discharge of their duties, the Executive—specifically the President retains the authority to remove a judge if credible evidence of wrongdoing is established. He stressed, however, that this constitutional mechanism does not diminish the overall autonomy of the judiciary.
