Kobina Arku Korsah
Kobina Arku Korsah | |
---|---|
1st Chief Justice of Ghana | |
In office 6 March 1957 – December 1963 | |
Preceded by | New Position |
Succeeded by | J. Sarkodee-Addo |
13th Chief Justice of the Gold Coast | |
In office 1956 – 6 March 1957 | |
Preceded by | Sir Mark Wilson |
Succeeded by | None |
Personal details | |
Born | Saltpond, Ghana | 3 April 1894
Died | 25 January 1967 72) Ghana | (aged
Sir Kobina Arku Korsah (3 April 1894, Saltpond – 25 January 1967)[1] was the first black Chief Justice of Ghana (then the Gold Coast) in 1956.[2]
Biography
Born in Saltpond, Korsah was educated at Mfantsipim School, Fourah Bay College (BA degree in 1915),[1] Durham University and London University (LLB in 1919).[1][3]
In 1942, Nana Sir Ofori Atta and Sir Arku Korsah were the first two Ghanaians to be appointed to the Legislative Council by the then Governor of the Gold Coast, Sir Alan Burns.[4][5] He was one of the twenty founding members of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1959.[6] After the Kulungugu attack on President Kwame Nkrumah in August 1962, Sir Arku Korsah presided over the trial of five defendants. At the end of that trial, three of the accused were found not guilty and this displeased the Nkrumah government. Nkrumah sacked Sir Arku as Chief Justice in December 1963 unconstitutionally.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Makers of Modern Africa, London: Africa Journal Ltd, 1981, pp. 289-90.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Outrage At Law". Times inc. 20 December 1963. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
- ↑ Daniel Miles McFarland, Historical Dictionary of Ghana, Scarecrow Press, 1995, p. 106-07.
- ↑ "Countries united by an ancient bond – Freedom after 400 years". Special Features. Liverpool Daily Post. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
- ↑ Buah, F. K. (1980). History of Ghana. London: Lincoln. ISBN 978-0-333-29515-1.
- ↑ "History – Foundation Members". Official Website. Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
See also
–Legal offices | ||
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Preceded by Sir Mark Wilson |
Chief Justice of the Gold Coast 1956–1957 |
Succeeded by Gold Coast attains independence |
Preceded by Ghana established |
Chief Justice of Ghana 1957–1963 |
Succeeded by J. Sarkodee-Addo |
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