Governance expert and former UN Senior Advisor, Prof. Baffour Agyeman-Duah, has expressed grave concern over recent remarks by retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba, who suggested that political interference may be influencing decisions at the highest levels of Ghana’s judiciary.

Speaking in an interview on Joy FM's Top Story on Wednesday, May 7, Prof. Agyeman-Duah described Justice Atuguba’s statement as “a tragedy,” warning that if the judiciary is indeed politically compromised, it would signal a deep erosion of public trust and constitutional integrity.

“If he’s making that statement having been there before, then I think it’s a tragedy, to say the least. If in fact justices on the Supreme Court see themselves as politically influenced in cases, then I think they have undermined their own credibility and relevance in democratic governance,” he said.

While acknowledging growing public concern over the politicisation of the judiciary, Prof. Agyeman-Duah noted that such claims must not be taken lightly, especially when they come from a former member of the bench.

He stressed the urgent need for constitutional reforms to insulate the judiciary from executive control, particularly regarding judicial appointments. “Once the judiciary becomes politicised, its neutrality as the ultimate mediator in governance matters is diminished,” he added.

Prof. Agyeman-Duah welcomed the constitutional review process recently initiated by President Mahama, urging that it should include measures to remove presidential control over the appointment and removal of chief justices and other high court officials.

“We need to look at best practices from other democracies like Kenya, where the President does not appoint Supreme Court judges. That’s one way to safeguard judicial independence and avoid the creeping perception of partisan justice,” he noted.