Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has responded to criticism surrounding his recent public engagements, acknowledging the difficulty of balancing professional restraint with personal relationships and social responsibilities.
Speaking at the opening of the 45th Annual Conference of the Judges and Magistrates Association of Ghana, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie admitted that some of his actions had attracted criticism but maintained that holding judicial office should not strip judges of their humanity.
“I have in recent times run into some trouble in this office precisely because I allowed my humanity to overtake my official restraint,” he said.
Chief Justice Explains Public Engagements
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie explained that his participation in events involving friends and relatives, alongside official institutional visits, had sometimes generated controversy.
He questioned the expectation that judicial officers should avoid engagements outside their offices simply to escape public criticism.
“There have been occasions when I have attended public events to honour close friends and relatives,” he said, citing similar concerns surrounding his duties as Chair of the Council for Legal Education and Training.
He described some reactions as a “cacophony of noises,” adding that the experiences reinforced his belief that judges must maintain their humanity while exercising professional restraint.
NPP Criticism Sparks Debate
His remarks follow criticism from the New Patriotic Party over comments made during visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust and the Minerals Income Investment Fund on September 2.
The NPP described his observations comparing institutional performance as partisan and demanded that he retract them or resign and join the National Democratic Congress.
The Judicial Service subsequently defended the remarks, explaining that they were made in good faith and were not intended to undermine judicial independence.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie's latest comments emphasised the tension between the restraint expected of judicial officers and their continued participation in ordinary social and professional life.
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