George Kingsley Acquah | |
---|---|
11th Chief Justice of Ghana (23rd including Gold Coast) | |
In office 4 July 2003 – 25 March 2007 | |
Appointed by | John Kufuor |
Preceded by | Edward Kwame Wiredu |
Succeeded by | Georgina Theodora Wood |
Supreme Court Judge | |
In office 1995 – 25 March 2007 | |
Appointed by | Jerry Rawlings |
Personal details | |
Born | Sekondi, British Gold Coast (now Ghana) | 4 March 1942
Died | 25 March 2007 Accra, Ghana | (aged 65)
Nationality | Ghanaian |
Spouse | Mrs. Jane Acquah |
George Kingsley Acquah MSG JSC (4 March 1942 – 25 March 2007) was the twenty-third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana[1](the eleventh since independence).[2] He was appointed as Chief Justice on 4 July 2003[3] and was the incumbent until his death.
Justice Acquah was born on 4 March 1942 at Sekondi in the Western Region of the then-British Gold Coast[4][5] to Isaac Yankson and Beatrice Acquah but was brought up by his stepfather, Isaac Charles Acquah. He had his basic education in a number of schools, namely Half Assini Methodist School, Cape Coast Methodist School, Ashanti Bekwai Methodist School, Akim Oda Methodist School, Nkawkaw Methodist School and Dunkwa-on-Offin Anglican School.[4]
He attended Adisadel College at Cape Coast, from 1957 to 1963 for his secondary and sixth form (college) education. He pursued his undergraduate degree at the University of Ghana, Legon between 1964 and 1967 where he obtained a B.A (Hons) degree in philosophy. In 1970, he obtained the LL.B. (Hons) degree in law from the same university.[4][5] He continued to the Ghana School of Law where he obtained his Professional Certificate in Law and was called to the Bar in 1972.[4]
Justice George Acquah was in private legal practice at Cape Coast from 1972 until 19 September 1989 when he became a High Court Judge, working at Ho in the Volta Region.[4][6] He worked at the High Court until he rose to become an Appeal Court Judge in June 1994.[4][7] In 1995, he was appointed as a Supreme Court Judge.[5][7]
Justice Acquah was married to Jane Acquah. Together, they had six children.[7]
Justice Acquah died of cancer on 25 March 2007, aged 65, in Accra. He was married with six children.[9]