In a historic first for the justice sector, the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, paid a formal visit to the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, who is his wife at the Prisons headquarters in Accra on February 4, 2026.
The visit highlighted the growing collaboration between the judiciary and the correctional service in addressing systemic challenges such as prison overcrowding and delays in case disposal.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, appointed Chief Justice by President John Dramani Mahama in late 2025 following the removal of his predecessor, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, expressed concern over the persistent congestion in prisons, which he identified as a key factor necessitating reforms, such as the shift in the court system and the establishment of specialised courts to expedite pending cases.
“I have realised there are so many cases at the courts that have not been attended to. In tackling this congestion, it is very necessary to set up the shift court system where cases would be heard in the morning and afternoon,” he said.
He further called for strengthened collaboration between the judiciary and the Prisons Service, particularly in capacity building and the “Justice For All” programme.
The visit was deeply symbolic as it brought together a couple who have both risen to the pinnacle of their respective institutions. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, a legal professional with over 37 years of experience in prison administration, was appointed Director-General of Prisons in early 2025.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, who began his career in the Prisons Service in 1988, first met Patience while stationed in Sekondi; he was a Deputy Superintendent, and she was a recruit.
In 1990, he resigned from the service to marry her, after regulations prohibited senior officers from marrying junior colleagues.
Their simultaneous leadership of the judiciary and the Prisons Service is unprecedented in Ghana, bridging the institutions responsible for sentencing and rehabilitation.
During the visit, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie also observed that the practice of issuing long sentences by some judges has contributed significantly to prison overcrowding.
He proposed that the Prisons Service engage with newly sworn-in circuit court judges to promote coordinated efforts in improving justice delivery.
He noted that such collaboration is crucial to maintaining public safety and ensuring that the administration of justice operates efficiently.
The Chief Justice was accompanied by a high-level delegation from the Judicial Service, including His Lordship Justice Henry Kwoffie (Supreme Court), Her Ladyship Justice Angelina Mensah Honniah (Court of Appeal), Her Ladyship Justice Serwah Asare Botwe (Court of Appeal), Prof. Raymond Atuguba (Director, Ghana Law School), and Musah Ahmed, Judicial Secretary.
Other officials present included Joseph Ampong, Director of Communications; Francis Baidoo, Director of Court Services; Jennifer K. Amoah, Secretary to the Chief Justice; and Papa Kwaku Maison, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation.
The visiting justices praised the Director-General for her cooperation during the recent Justice For All Programme and committed to expanding the initiative to all prison facilities.
Plans were also discussed to involve Legal Aid in advocating for deserving remand inmates and facilitating the release of prisoners with mental health conditions to their families temporarily.
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