The Ghanaian Minaret

Accra – The Muslims Association of the Judiciary Service of Ghana has honoured two of its distinguished members with an award as the two proceed on retirement.

The awardees, Justice Saeed Kwaku Gyan, an Appeals Court Judge and Justice Abdullah Iddrisu, a High Court Judge received the award for their contribution and exemplary character at a Send-Off lecture organised by the association on Wednesday.

The lecture which was on the topic, “The position on Islam on Justice; The role of the Muslim on the bench” was attended by Members of Parliament, members of the judiciary, traditional authorities, academicians and families of the two senior Judges.

As the key speaker for the occasion, the Minister of Inner cities and Zango Development, Dr Mustapha Hameed said that, human beings as vicegerents of the Almighty Allah mirrored the attributes of their Creator.

Among the inherited attributes he said were the virtues of being truthful and just, which formed the cornerstone of justice delivery in every facet of life.

He indicated that the decision to be a professional adjudicator of justice would require one to be sincere, wise, patient and of good moral conscience.

He also added that the responsibility of delivering justice as a Muslim judge should not be compromised under any circumstance as every judge will be held accountable for his interpretations and rulings in the hereafter.

“I pity you the judges because sometimes you can be confronted with something that is supposedly evidence, based on which you can give your judgement and that may not be the right evidence at all,”  he said.

Justice Gyan who received an award from the Ghana Bar Association as an incorruptible judge in 2012, revealed that his decision to join the bench was based on the need to change the negative public perception associated with the judiciary service in the country.

Having given off his best, however, he said “I am unable to carry on my job at the optimum level of performance as I would have wished going forward. Therefore I believe that it is in the best interest of my nation and my conscience that I do bow out of active public Service”.

Justice Iddrisu for his part advised people to be appreciative and give off their best in their daily endeavours while bearing in mind that not everyone was going to appreciate their effort.

“Life is too short to worry about people who do not value you,” he said.