Retired Supreme Court judge Julius Ansah passes on at 74

A Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana, his lordship Justice Julius Ansah who retired from the bench after 41 years of public service has died. He died at the age of 74, four years after leaving the Supreme Court.

Justice Julius Ansah began working at the Attorney-General’s Department in Koforidua as a National Service Person after he was called to the Bar. He joined the Bench as a District Magistrate Grade II in 1979.

He first worked at Assin Fosu in the Central Region for two years and was promoted to District Magistrate Grade I in 1981.

In 1986, he was promoted to the Circuit Court and subsequently to the High Court in 1989. His first station as a Justice of the High Court was Tamale in the Northern Region where he also served as the Supervising High Court Judge.

Justice Julius Ansah was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 1999 and rose to the apex court of the land as a Justice of the Supreme Court in 2004.

His career was one of service to his country, having occupied various positions and played diverse roles, which include serving on the General Legal Council and the Judicial Council, Acting as Director of the Public Complaints Unit & Inspectorate Unit, as well as acting as Chief Justice at some point in time.

On his retirement, the Judicial Service held a brief but memorable ceremony at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra in appreciation of his selfless and invaluable contribution to justice delivery in Ghana. Justice Ansah was presented with a citation, a long service award and a retirement package.

Chief Justice then, Justice Anin Yeboah said at the retirement ceremony that he had “mixed feelings” because “while it is a joy and privilege to share the moment, it was equally sad to lose Justice Ansah’s presence on the Bench”.

The Chief Justice extolled Justice Ansah for his person and his professionalism on the bench.

“Since his very first days on the Bench as a Magistrate some 41 years ago, Justice Julius Ansah has displayed modesty and honesty and demonstrated tremendous insight and excellence.

These qualities have shown themselves in his work across the length and breadth of our country in the Lower Court through to the High Court – from Assin Fosu to Wenchi, Hohoe, Agona Swedru, Tamale and Sekondi and the Court of Appeal and eventually onto the Supreme Court”, Chief Justice Anin Yeboah said.