A Supreme Court justice, William Atuguba, has heavily criticised the Ghana Bar Association, the Attorney-General's Department and the entire court system for the widespread perception of corruption in the justice system.

He said while the Bar Association has allowed partisan politics to eat deep into its roots, the Attorney-Generals Department has been sleeping on its mandate of prosecuting cases.

Joy News' Joseph Opoku Gakpo reports the Chair of the 2012 presidential election petition panel as making these comments at the 42nd week celebration of the University of Ghana Law School, Monday.

The blunt, no-nonsense judge, said these challenges are gradually eroding the strong pillars of the country's justice system.

This is neither the first time the courts have been said to be entangled in a perceive web of corruption nor the first time the AG's department has been accused of sleeping on the job.

A chunk of the judgment debts which the country has had to pay in recent times has been attributed to failure by the Attorney-General's Department to prosecute the cases.

As for the corruption, real or perceived, the Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood has never missed any opportunity to berate the practice which she said had far reaching implications on the country's justice system.

Addressing law students, lawyers and other players in the judiciary, Justice Atuguba said gone were the days when the GBA was vocal on pertinent issues affecting the country.

He cited instances in the past where, even under the military regimes, the GBA embarked on series of demonstrations to protest one policy or another.

He hinted such independent-minded actions by the GBA have been buried in recent times due to the Association's perceived affiliation with one political party or another.

On the Attorney-General's Department, Justice Atuguba said in the past, the A-G's department used to prosecute even ministers of state accused of corruption but hinted such prosecutions have been rare in recent times.

Justice Atuguba called on the players involved in the judicial system to, as a matter of urgency, address these challenges to make the judiciary strong and independent.