Clemence Jackson Honyenuga

Clemence Jackson Honyenuga is a Ghanaian judge. He is an active Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana.

Justice

Clemence Jackson Honyenuga
Supreme Court Judge
Assumed office
2020
Appointed byNana Akufo-Addo
Personal details
Nationality Ghanaian
Alma materUniversity of Ghana
ProfessionJudge

Early life and education

Honyenuga hails from the Volta Region of Ghana, he studied at the University of Ghana prior to entering legal practice.

Career

He begun as an Assistant State Attorney then later, a private legal practitioner.[1][2] His career at the bench begun when he gained appointment as the Judge Advocate of the Ghana Navy.[1][2] He served in this capacity prior to his call to the High Court bench. As a Justice of the High Court, he served as an additional High Court Judge adjudicating civil matters, narcotics, robbery, and other violent crimes.[1][2] He was the Director of the Remand Prisoners Project prior to his call to the bench of the Court of Appeals.[1][2] He is also the paramount chief of the Nyagbo Traditional Area.[3]

Supreme Court appointment

Nomination

On 17 March 2020 the president, Nana Akufo-Addo informed the Speaker of Parliament, Mike Oquaye that consultations had been completed for the nomination of Justice Honyenuga and three other persons to be made justices of the Supreme Court of Ghana.[4] The speaker of parliament announced his nomination together with the three others to parliament on 19 March 2020 for vetting and approval.[4]

Vetting and endorsement allegations

Justice Honyenuga was vetted by parliament on Monday 11 May 2020.[5] During the vetting process, he was questioned on his alleged endorsement of the president and the political party of the incumbent government; the New Patriotic Party.[5] This allegation was due to a statement he made in a durbar of which he reportedly said; "with the vision of the President and the gains made in his first term, Ghanaians may consider giving him another four years."[5][6] In his defence he said he, "did not endorse the presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his personal capacity but was a speech he was elected to read on behalf of the chiefs and people of Afadjato when the President visited the Volta region."[3] He also apologised saying; "In reading that statement, we didn’t intend endorsing the president. Our understanding was that we were wishing him well… If out of political dissatisfaction some people are unhappy with whatever I am supposed to have said then I am sorry."[5] The judge's statement made during the durbar was greeted with criticisms and was widely condemned. The Ghanaian journalist and political analyst, Kweku Baako described the alleged endorsement as an "unwarranted sycophancy".[6] He also added that the judge had stained his reputation through the alleged endorsement and also opined that if he had the opportunity to advise the president on the matter, he would have told the president to "drop him".[6] The Volta Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Henry Kwadzo Ametefe concurred saying the judge's alleged endorsement was a violation of the code of conduct of the judiciary and called on the Legal Council and the Chairman of the Judicial Council, the Chief Justice to take "appropriate action".[5]

Approval and swearing in

Following his vetting by parliament, Honyenuga was approved by parliament on Wednesday 20 May 2020[7] and sworn into office on Friday 22 May 2020 with the president particularly congratulating him for his conduct and compartment during his vetting by parliament amidst the endorsement allegations.[1][2] He was sworn in together with Justice Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu.[1][2]

See also

References
  1. "Akufo-Addo swears in Supreme Court Justices Honyenuga and Tanko Amadu". MyJoyOnline. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  2. "President swears in 2 Justices of Supreme Court". Graphic Online. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  3. "Akufo-Addo endorsement not personal, it's a speech I read on behalf of Afadjato chiefs – Honyenuga". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  4. "Akufo-Addo nominates Henrietta Mensa Bonsu and 3 others to Supreme Court bench". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  5. "Supreme Court Justice nominee, Clemence Honyenuga apologises for endorsing Akufo-Addo". Citinewsroom. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  6. "Drop Justice Honyenuga from Supreme Court list - Kweku Baako advises Akufo-Addo". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  7. "Overlook vetting challenges – Akufo-Addo to Justice Honyenuga". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
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