Acting Chief Justice Victor Jones Mawulorm Dotse has expressed his gratitude to former Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah for keeping faith in him during his tenure.

The two jurists in 2019 were tipped to take over from then-exiting Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo.

President Akufo-Addo settled on Justice Anin-Yeboah.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark his retirement from the Judiciary, Justice Dotse touched on the nature of their relationship.

“Justice Anin-Yeboah met me in Commonwealth Hall in 1976. I was then in my final year for the LLB. And we are great friends. We have a name for ourselves. “Wushu”.

"But then there were some people who tried to bring some wedge between us but thanks to God he kept faith with me during his tenure”.

Justice Dotse noted that Justice Anin-Yeboah at times tasked him to perform some key functions on his behalf.

He also pointed out that his relationship with former Chief Justices Georgina Wood and Sophia Akuffo was not any different.

“I cannot thank Chief Justice Wood well enough. Most of you who have stayed here for long know the relationship between us. We worked very hard.

"I worked for her with dedication. The same applies to Ms. Sophia Akuffo and the same applies to Justice Anin-Yeboah.”.

Justice Jones Dotse will exit the Judiciary on June 8, 2023, when he attains the retirement age of 70. He has been a Justice of the Supreme Court since 2008.

He is noted for the celebrated case of Gladys Mensah v Stephen Mensah in which the Supreme Court famously upheld the principle of equality in the sharing of marital property by spouses after divorce.

“This court is of the considered view that the Petitioner's contribution even as a housewife,
in maintaining the house and creating a congenial atmosphere for the respondent to create the economic empire he has built are enough to earn her an equal share in the marital properties on offer,” Justice Dotse stated in that case.

He coined the popular phrase “create, loot and share” in the famous case of Martin Alamisi Amidu v Attorney General, Alfred Woyome and others.

This phrase has since been used to describe the cooperation of public servants and private individuals to steal monies belonging to the state.

Chief Justice Designate Gertrude Torkonoo described him as an intelligent judge.

“I have watched with admiration, his keen and unflagging intelligence and alertness. His depth of preparation and the clarity and wisdom with which he presided over panels as President of the Supreme Court,” she stated.

Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame said Justice Dotse possesses wisdom that must be tapped into regularly.

“As you hang up your robes, a new beginning awaits you. It is the time everyone calls “Retirement”… the time that is for all those hobbies and activities, you have not had time to do, all in the name of service to the nation.

"When good judges retire they tend to be far from our sight, but not from our hearts. In your case, I pray that much as we will keep you close to our hearts, you be not far from our sights. Your wisdom and valued experience need to be tapped every now and then.“