Acting Chief Justice of Ghana, His Lordship Justice Paul Baffoe-BonnieActing Chief Justice of Ghana, His Lordship Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has issued a scathing critique of the legal profession, lamenting what he described as a disturbing rise in ethical violations by practitioners.
He said the growing trend is not only alarming but a source of national embarrassment.
Addressing an audience at the commissioning of the new Moot Court facility at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) Law School on Monday, July 21, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie pointed to a troubling culture of misconduct that is increasingly taking root within the legal community.
“Just as you feel disgusted by students dressing shabbily to come to school, you must be wondering how a lawyer manages to pass through the school,” he said.
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.
“I happen to be the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council, and the sort of infractions and ethical breaches that appear before us make you wonder where the world is heading,” he added.
To underscore the gravity of the situation, 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.
Justice 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. His comments serve as both a warning and a call to action for legal educators, practitioners, and regulatory bodies to reinforce ethics and restore credibility to the profession.
