Death of 3 High Court Justices 34th anniv marked
It was a solemn ceremony as lawyers, judges, family members and the general public gathered on Thursday to mark the 34th anniversary of the murder of three High Court Justices.
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The late Mr Justice Fred Poku Sarkodee, Mrs Justice Cecilia Koranteng- Addow and Mr Justice Kwadwo Agyei- Agyepong were abducted and murdered in a gruesome manner on June 30, 1982.
The anniversary service was organised by the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) in collaboration with the Judicial Service of Ghana.
Present at ceremony were family members of the three assassinated justices notable among them was Mr Kwabena Agyepong, the son of the late Mr Justice Kwadwo Agyei Agyepong.
Other notable personalities were the Chief Justice, Mrs Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, other justices of the Supreme Court and the clergy.
Speaking at the event, the President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Mr Benson Nutsukpui, said the memory of the three late justices should live forever and would not be forgotten.
"We have forgiven the wrongdoers for their cowardly and evil deeds. But we still remember these martyrs of the rule of law and will continue to celebrate them. The Bar and Bench acknowledge and proclaim those good qualities and deeds for which they were murdered," he said.
According to him, such a tragedy should never be allowed to be repeated, adding, "assaults to the rule of law have not and should never manifest themselves in the horrific circumstances we have just reminded ourselves of."
Mr Nutsukpui added that the death of the three martyrs should be a reminder to people and institutions to uphold and defend the independence of the judiciary.
"The commemoration of their deaths on Martyr's Day is an appropriate occasion to examine the role of judges and lawyers in the defence of the rule of law. An independent judiciary is the backbone of the rule of law. A judiciary that is protected from all forms of intimidation and interference is the key to securing judicial independence," he stated.
The Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi, Most Reverend Gabriel J. Anokye, who delivered the sermon at the ceremony, advised the public to use the death of the three justices to promote peace and unity in the country
He said people would be doing a great disservice to the memory of the three martyrs if peace, reconciliation and stability did not prevail in the country.
"Our departed justices will be happier if we can secure a more peaceful, stable and developed Ghana through shared responsibility.”
"We can do this when freedom and justice will not be mere words and embellishing our national coat of arms but will be practice and protected in strength and in truth," he said.
