Supreme Court nominee, Justice Dennis Dominic Adjei, has firmly asserted that judges must remain guided by the law and their judicial oath, rather than personal religious beliefs, when determining cases before the court.
Responding to questions during his vetting, Justice Adjei emphasised the need for strict adherence to judicial impartiality, especially in cases involving sensitive or controversial issues such as same-sex rights or other human rights matters.
“We talk about our faith – it could be Christian, Muslim – but that is your personal faith,” he said.
“When you are in the courtroom, you have taken the judicial oath, which says you shall be impartial, irrespective of the persons involved,” he said.
According to Justice Adjei, once a judge dons the robes of office, their foremost duty is to uphold the constitution and interpret the law faithfully, without allowing personal convictions to influence legal judgement.
“If any matter is brought before me – whether it is same-sex or whatever the issue – I will look at the circumstances, the applicable law, and give effect to the legal position,” he stated. “If I allow my faith to guide my judgement, then I have abdicated my seat as a judge.”
He noted that the matter is even more pertinent in his current role at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which deals exclusively with human rights cases.
Justice Adjei explained that such matters often evoke strong personal or religious sentiments, yet judicial integrity requires that judges remain neutral arbiters.
“The African Court is even worst because we handle only human rights cases,” he said. “These are exactly the sorts of issues that come before us. But we do not bring our faith to bear in those decisions.”
He cautioned that allowing religious views to interfere in judicial proceedings would set a dangerous precedent, potentially leading to demands from religious groups to appoint judges aligned with their beliefs.
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