Ghana Bar Association

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Ghana Bar Association
Formation 1876
Type Professional association
Purpose/focus Promote legal professionalism
Location Accra, Ghana
Official languages English
National President Frank W.K. Beecham
Website ghanabar.org/index.html

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) is a professional association of lawyers in Ghana, including what used to be called solicitors and barristers but are now called legal practitioners, as well as magistrates. By convention all lawyers admitted to practise in Ghana become automatic members of the association.[1]

History and membership

The British parliament established the Supreme Court of Judicature for the Gold Coast Colony in 1876, with a Chief Justice and no more than four Puisne Justices.[2] John Mensah Sarbah was the first native of Ghana to be called to the bar by Lincoln's Inn in 1887. The legal system was based on that of England, in which solicitors provide legal advice and prepare legal documents while barristers act as advocates in court. However, this division was not observed in practice in Ghana, and in 1960 an act abolished the distinction.[3] Until the Ghana School of Law was established in 1958, all lawyers were trained abroad, almost always at the Inns of Court in England. As of 2011 there are about 2,500 practicing lawyers, although not all have registered as members of the Bar Association.[4]

The Ghana Bar Association is a member of the International Bar Association.[5]

Controversy

In October 2010 the GBA Vice President, Mr. Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo, called on the Chief Justice and the Council to eliminate inconsistency, corruption and misconduct by judges.[6] In April 2011 the National President Frank W.K. Beecham spoke in defense of Mr Justice E.K. Ayebi, a judge who had come under attack after acquitting fourteen defendants in a murder trial.[7]

In July 2011 four lawyers made allegations of widespread corruption among judges. The GBA condemned the four for making unsubstantiated claims, and asked them to name the judges. Another lawyer openly confessed to having bribed a judge. The GBA said it would take legal steps to prosecute him.[8] The four lawyers were blacklisted by the Association of Magistrates and Judges. They and others stated that they were considering forming an alternative Association.[9] The Ghana Bar Association held its annual general meeting in Cape Coast in September 2011, soon after two magistrates had been sacked for demanding bribes. GBA President Frank Beecham said the association would fight corruption in all its forms. The GBA would establish a complaints unit to take complaints about corruption and ensure that offenders were prosecuted.[10]

References

  1. ↑ David Andreas Hesse, Hesse & Hesse. "Ghana: Ethics and practicalities". Practical Law Company. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 
  2. ↑ "ABOUT GHANA BAR". Ghana Bar Association. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 
  3. ↑ "THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SUPREME COURT". Ghana Bar Association. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 
  4. ↑ "TRAINING OF GHANAIAN LAWYERS". Ghana Bar Association. Retrieved 2011-09-25. 
  5. ↑ "IBA Member Organisations in Africa". International Bar Association. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 
  6. ↑ "Ghana Bar Association Brief the Press". Ghana Government. 30 October 2010. Retrieved 2011-09-25. 
  7. ↑ "Ghana Bar Association regrets attacks on Judge, judicial system in Ya-Na ruling". Ghana News Agency. 2 April 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-25. 
  8. ↑ "Ghana Bar Association condemns conduct of five lawyers". Ghana Business News. July 15, 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 
  9. ↑ "Some Lawyers threaten to break aways from Ghana Bar Association (GBA)". Citifmonline Ghana. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 
  10. ↑ "GBA declares war on corruption in judiciary". Daily Graphic. September 22, 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 
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