CJ criticises legal profession misconduct

Acting Chief Justice of Ghana Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has launched a scathing critique of the legal profession, lamenting what he described as a disturbing rise in ethical violations by practitioners. He said the alarming trend was a source of national embarrassment, reports Modern Ghana. Speaking at the University of Professional Studies, Accra Law School, last week, Baffoe-Bonnie pointed to a troubling culture of misconduct that was increasingly taking root within the legal community. The Chief Justice, who also chairs the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council, revealed that the committee continues to be inundated with cases involving serious ethical breaches. ‘…the sort of infractions and ethical breaches that appear before us make you wonder where the world is heading,’ he added. He cited a particularly egregious case involving a lawyer accused of stealing a mobile phone from a colleague right inside the Tema Court premises – a case now under formal investigation by the council. Baffoe-Bonnie’s remarks come at a time when public trust in legal institutions is under pressure, with increasing calls for accountability and higher professional standards in Ghana’s justice system.