Bribery accusations against judiciary not backed by evidence– Justice Dennis Adjei

A Court of Appeal judge, Justice Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei who has been nominated for appointment to the bench of the Supreme Court has attributed negative public perceptions of the judiciary to weak legal arguments and misinformation, rather than actual incidents of bribery.

He made the remark on Monday [June 16, 2025] when he appeared before the Appointment Committee of Parliament for vetting for his new role.

Responding to a question about recent survey findings indicating low public confidence in the judiciary, Justice Dennis Adjei acknowledged the concerns but said many of the accusations were not backed by evidence.

He explained that some litigants, after losing cases, wrongly conclude that corruption played a role in the outcome.

“People lose cases and assume it’s because they didn’t pay a bribe. Sometimes, the reality is that the case is simply weak,” he said. “If anyone pays a bribe, they should name the individual involved rather than generalise the accusation.”

Justice Adjei, who currently serves as Director of the Judicial Training Institute, said ethics now forms a major part of training for judges and judicial staff.

He cited his own experience working with the Judicial Complaints Unit, where he investigated a claim that turned out to be false.

“The complainant fabricated a story suggesting he had influenced a judge. We found no evidence to support his claim. This type of behaviour contributes to public mistrust,” he said.

He urged Ghanaians to report misconduct with clear evidence, than spreading unverified allegations.

“We must educate the public about the consequences of corruption, but we must also avoid making claims that are not based on facts.”

Justice Adjei also criticised aspects of media reporting that he said contribute to mistrust in the judiciary. “Some media discussions damage public confidence by branding the entire judiciary as corrupt without offering proof. That must stop,” he said.