A former Supreme Court Judge, Justice William Atuguba, says he never personally experienced direct pressure from the executive arm of government to decide cases in a particular way during his time on the bench, but admits indirect influences on judges cannot be completely ruled out.
Speaking in an interview with Joy News’ Gemma Appiah, Justice Atuguba gave a firm response when asked whether he had ever felt pressure from the executive while serving on Ghana’s highest court.
“Me? No, no, no, no,” he said, dismissing suggestions that he had received or acted on directives from outside the judiciary.
His comments come amid a longstanding public debate in Ghana over judicial independence, especially during politically sensitive cases involving elections, constitutional disputes and executive power.
Justice Atuguba, however, drew a distinction between his personal experience and the broader realities individual judges may face.
He said he was not aware of any instance where the Supreme Court as a collective institution had been directly pressured to rule one way or another. But he noted that informal or indirect attempts to influence individuals could happen.
According to him, whether such efforts succeed depends largely on the character and values of the judge involved.
“It’s left to the structure of the individual — your cast of mind, your conscience, your religiosity, home training, a whole lot of things,” he said.
Justice Atuguba explained that judges, like all public officials, operate within a wider political and social environment, where opinions may be shared privately or public expectations may build around major cases.
He cited the atmosphere ahead of Ghana’s 2024 general elections, when the Supreme Court became the focus of political commentary and public scrutiny, as an example of how sentiment can create pressure without any formal interference.
“We all can have an idea about whether there is some political intuition or not,” he stated.
The retired justice’s remarks are likely to add to ongoing discussions about the independence of Ghana’s judiciary and the need to protect public confidence in the courts.
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