His
Excellency, President Adama Barrow on Thursday, December 12, 2019, reaffirmed
the commitment of his government to ensuring judicial independence as he
presided over the swearing-in of two new judges to the High Court of The
Gambia.
While
congratulating and welcoming the new appointees to the superior court,
President Barrow recognizes the values of a well-equipped bench to efficient
justice delivery in the country.
‘’This
development is part of the process to reinforce professionalism within the
legal sector and rebuild our judicial system, which has suffered years of
disruption and interference’’, he said of the event, which took place at the
State House. The judges are in the country as part of technical assistance from
the Republic of Ghana.
The
President said his government has set out a clear policy path to ensure that
our judicial system regains its pride by providing fair and speedy judicial
services. Consequently, Gambians have been encouraged to serve and restore
standards and professionalism within the Judiciary, recounting that eight
Gambian judges were sworn-in to the high court in 2017.
“It
is expected that the services of these [new] distinguished Judges will
contribute significantly to the judicial sector by addressing the backlog of
cases in our courts and preventing its recurrence,” President Barrow said at
the ceremony witnessed by the Chief Justice, the Judicial Secretary, and
Cabinet ministers.
President
Barrow encouraged the judiciary to redouble its efforts, especially to address
the huge backlog of cases piled up over a period of two decades.
Chief
Justice, Hassan Aboubacarr Jallow said the President’s interest in reinforcing
the capacity of the judiciary is proof of his respect for rule of law and
judicial independence. These, he added, are important pillars of peace and
stability for any country.
Chief
Justice Jallow expressed confidence that the decades-long experiences of the
two ‘’ distinguished judges’’ on the bench and bar will undoubtedly contribute
to quality justice delivery in the country. He thanked President Barrow for
having the foresight to engage his Ghanaian counterpart to revitalize the
judicial technical assistance program between the two countries
However,
the Chief Justice requested for increased resource allocation to refurbish the
residential quarters of the judges, and to also transform the Mile 7 government
quarters into a High Court annex to serve Bakau/Fajara and the catchment areas.
Judge
Alexander Osei Tutu in his remarks emphasized the good bilateral relations
between The Gambia and Ghana, especially in the areas of judicial cooperation.
He named many Ghanaian judges who served a good chunk of their careers on The
Gambian bench. “We are here as Ghanaian judges to continue the good work of our
predecessors. Not just to serve but also to strengthen the bonds of friendship
between the two countries,” he stated.
Judge
Alexander Osei Tutu holds an LLM in International Law and Justice from Fordham
University Law School, and a Diploma in Transnational and International
Organised Law Crime from the International Law Enforcement Academy, New Mexico,
USA. Judge Francis Apangabuno Achibonga holds an LLM in Oil and Gas, and an LLB
from the University of Ghana. Together, they bring over 15 years’ experience
with them to the Gambian Bar.
