Dennis Dominic Adjei

Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei is a Ghanaian jurist and an active justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana. Prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court bench, he served as a Justice of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights and a Justice of the Appeal Court of Ghana. He was a member of the nine-member Advisory Committee of the International Criminal Court. He is also a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, elected on 5 December 2019.

Early life and education Adjei was born on 25 March 1964. He attended Atwimaman Secondary School (now Afia Kobi Ampem Senior High School), Trabuom in 1985, and Wenchi Methodist Senior High School in 1987. He pursued higher education at the University of Ghana, Legon, where he obtained a B.A. in Law and Linguistics from 1988 to 1991. He was called to the Ghana Bar in 1993 after completing his studies at the Ghana School of Law. His academic credentials include a Master of Laws (LLM) in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of London in 2010, a Master of Judicial Studies (MJS) from Duke University School of Law, Durham, North Carolina, USA in 2014, and an Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in 2010.

Career Adjei began his legal career in 1993 as an Associate at Owusu Bempah Law Chambers in Kumasi, Ghana, where he worked until 1999. In 1999, he founded and served as Managing Partner of Holy Trinity Chambers in Kumasi, a position he held until 2010. From 2008 to 2010, he served as President of the Ghana Bar Association's Ashanti Region Branch and as a member of the Bar Council of the Ghana Bar Association. that same year, he began serving as Chairperson of the Private Process Service Committee of the Judicial Service of Ghana, and started lecturing as a Senior Lecturer at the Ghana School of Law in Accra, teaching Interpretation of Statutes and Deeds and Land Law and Conveyancing. Additionally, he began lecturing in criminal law and criminal procedure at the Judicial Training Institute of Ghana and the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping Centre. That year, he was appointed as a Consultant to the Sierra Leone Judiciary to assist in reforming criminal and civil laws and chaired the First Sierra Leone Judicial Conference. In 2021, he was appointed as a member of the National Mechanism for Reporting Human Rights and Follow-up and a year later, elected judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

In 2022, Adjei was elected as the Inns of Court Judicial Fellow at the Advanced Legal Institute of the University of London for the 2022–2023 academic year.

Supreme Court appointment Nomination In April 2025, Adjei, was nominated by President John Dramani Mahama for appointment to the Supreme Court of Ghana, alongside six other Court of Appeal judges: Justice Senyo Dzamefe, Justice Gbiel Simon Suurbaareh, Justice Philip Bright Mensah, Justice Janapare Adzua Bartels-Kodwo, Justice Hafisata Amaleboba, and Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo. The nominations were made in accordance with Article 144(2) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, which mandates that presidential appointments to the Supreme Court be made in consultation with the Council of State and subject to parliamentary approval as outlined in a letter from the Executive Secretary to the President, Dr. Callistus Mahama, addressed to the acting Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie. The Appointments Committee of Parliament scheduled the vetting of the seven nominees from Monday, 16 June 2025, to Wednesday, 18 June 2025.

Vetting On Monday, 16 June 2025, Adjei underwent vetting by Parliament's Appointments Committee as part of his nomination for the position of Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana. He was the second nominee vetted that day, following Justice Senyo Dzamefe. During the vetting, Adjei addressed several legal and constitutional issues.

On the topic of capital punishment, Adjei expressed the view that Ghana's laws mandating the death penalty for offences such as treason, high treason, and certain provisions of the Armed Forces Act (Act 105) should be reformed to grant judges discretion in sentencing. He argued that mandatory death penalties violate the fundamental right to life and Ghana's obligations under Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which emphasizes the sanctity of life. Citing his experience at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, he referenced rulings against Tanzania and Benin, where mandatory death penalties were deemed violations of human rights law, noting that Ghana could face similar legal challenges if reforms are not implemented.

Regarding child marriage and witchcraft, Adjei described accusations of witchcraft as an outdated cultural practice, referencing a ruling by the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights condemning Tanzania's legal recognition of witchcraft. He also highlighted a constitutional inconsistency in Ghana's laws, noting that while the legal age for consensual sex is 16, the minimum age for marriage is 18. He suggested aligning these ages to 18 to ensure consistency and to allow individuals to pursue education or vocational training, thereby enhancing their ability to support themselves in the event of marriage dissolution.

On presidential succession, Adjei argued that the 1992 Constitution of Ghana limits succession to the President, Vice President, and Speaker of Parliament, excluding the Chief Justice. He described this as “capping legitimacy,” emphasizing that the Constitution's intent is to ensure orderly transitions by restricting succession to these three roles. He rejected suggestions from past legal opinions, such as those in the 2003-2004 Asare v. Attorney General case, which proposed the Chief Justice as a potential successor, noting that such obiter dicta are non-binding and that extending succession beyond the specified roles could risk creating a power vacuum.

When questioned about handling cases involving LGBTQ+ rights, given his active role in the Catholic Church, Adjei stressed the value of preserving impartiality in the judiciary. He stated that personal beliefs, whether religious or otherwise, do not influence his judicial decisions, as judges are bound by their oath to remain impartial. Drawing from his experience at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, where he has handled cases involving sensitive issues such as sexual orientation, he affirmed that he applies the law based on facts, without allowing personal faith to affect outcomes. He cautioned that allowing religious beliefs to influence judgments could undermine the legal system by encouraging interest-based representation on the bench.

The committee's report, presented by Chairman Bernard Ahiafor, noted that Justice Adjei and his fellow nominees met the necessary qualifications, demonstrated appropriate judicial temperament, and upheld constitutional values suitable for Supreme Court justices. The committee's vote was divided, with all Majority members supporting the nominations and all Minority members opposing them. The Minority contended that the appointments, including that of Justice Adjei, coincided with the recent suspension of the Chief Justice, raising constitutional concerns and suggesting an effort to influence the judiciary's composition. They referenced procedural issues under Articles 146 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution and expressed worries about judicial independence, with Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin labelling the process as executive overreach. Additionally, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, MP for Tamale Central, criticized the high number of judicial appointments made under former President Nana Akufo-Addo, suggesting that Justice Adjei's nomination was part of a broader strategy to shape the judiciary.

During the ceremony, President Mahama emphasized the importance of judicial independence, stating that the judiciary is a partner in national development and must remain free from political interference, economic manipulation, and public intimidation. He urged Adjei and the other justices to uphold their oath of office by maintaining integrity, fairness, and impartiality in their judicial duties, guided by constitutional principles rather than public pressure or personal biases. Criminal Procedure and Practice in Ghana (3rd Edition, 2021) Land Law, Practice and Conveyancing in Ghana (3rd Edition, 2021) Contemporary Criminal Law in Ghana (3rd Edition, 2021)

He has also co-authored The Alternative Dispute Resolution- A Ghanaian Perspective.

Personal life In recognition of his contributions, Adjei was knighted by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI into the Order of St. Gregory the Great in 2005.