Supreme Court Judge Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi has called on Ghanaians to stop offering bribes to judges, insisting that the fight against corruption in the judiciary requires the active cooperation of the public.

He argued that while corruption exists within the justice system, those who attempt to influence court outcomes through bribery also contribute significantly to the problem.

“I say to people, listen, judges don’t give themselves bribes. It is litigants and Ghanaians who will offer the judge their bribe, even for the judge to contemplate it. So stop bribing your judges because the judge is not supposed to sell justice to you,” he said.

Justice Kulendi acknowledged that some judicial officers engage in corrupt practices but stressed that such cases should not overshadow the many judges and court officials who continue to serve with honesty and professionalism.

“I’m not one of those who will say that there are no corrupt judges or there are no corrupt judicial officers. Then they must have come from some other planet, and they are not Ghanaians,” he said.

“So the judges are just a cross-section of Ghanaians. And so to the extent that our society has corrupt people, some of them have filtered into the judiciary.”

He further explained that the judiciary naturally attracts individuals with corrupt intentions because of the significant authority judges exercise in resolving disputes.

“The judiciary presents a very predatory and opportunistic avenue for somebody who is already disposed to corruption to manifest that outrageous disposition fully. So it is there,” he said.

Despite these concerns, Justice Kulendi maintained that the judiciary remains home to many principled officers who are committed to administering justice without fear or favour.

He also referenced the aftermath of the "Number 12" judicial corruption exposé, noting that disciplinary processes against errant judicial officers occurred with respect to the principles of due process.

“Day in, day out, people are being flushed out of the system. But there are considerations of due process. Anybody who is a judge was first a lawyer, and then they became a judge. So when you’re dealing with them, you can’t be arbitrary, and you cannot compromise due process.”

Justice Kulendi made the remarks during an interview on Citi FM on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, while discussing public perceptions of corruption within Ghana's justice system.