By Ryan Aliman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
DODOMA, Tanzania – On Tuesday, September 18, the African Court on Human and People’s Rights (AfCHPR) elected Justice Sophia A. B. Akuffo from Ghana as its new President for a two-year term.
Justice Akuffo succeeds Justice Gérard Niyungeko from Burundi who served as the first President of the AfCHPR from 2006 to 2008 and was re-elected for the 2010 to 2012 term.
Justice Sophia Akuffo’s election as President was held during the AfCHPR’s 26th ordinary session. She joined the AfCHPR as a Judge in 2006 and was re-elected in 2008 for a six-year term. The same year she was re-elected as AfCHPR Judge, she was also elected as Vice-President of the Pan-African Court for a two-year term. As soon as her term as Pan-African Court Vice-President ended, she was elected to the same position again in September 2010.
A Judge of the Supreme Court of Ghana, Justice Sophia A. B. Akuffo is an active member of several legal organizations in Africa, including the Advisory Committee of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute.
The President of the AfCHPR is elected among serving Judges of the Court for a two-year term. This term is renewable only once based on the Protocol establishing the African Court and the Rules of the Court.
With regard to the position AfCHPR vice-president, the vacancy has yet to be filled. According to Jean Pierre Uwanone, the AfCHPR spokesperson, the election of the vice-president will be announced at a later date this year.
Justice Sophia Akuffo’s election comes a day after the AfCHPR swore in two newly elected judges who were elected by the 19th Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. These two judges, namely Judges El Hadji Guissé and Ben Kioko, were elected on 16 July 2012 for a six year term each. Earlier during the Judges’ swearing-in ceremony, the AfCHPR dedicated a minute of silence in memory of the late Ugandan Justice Joseph Nyamihana Mulenga who passed away last month. The AfCHPR has not named Justice Nyamihana’s replacement yet.
The AfCHPR, an Arusha-based court, was established by African countries to ensure the protection of human and peoples’ rights in the continent. It is a judicial body that aims to complement and reinforce the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
To date, only 26 African states have ratified the AfCHPR Protocol which include Algeria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Comoros, Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Lesotho, Mali, Malawi, Mozambique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Nigeria, Niger, Rwanda, South Africa, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia and Uganda.
For further information, please see:
All Africa – African Court Elects New President – 19 September 2012
Leadership – African Court Elects New President – 19 September 2012
African Court on Human and People’s Rights – Justice Sophia A. B. Akuffo Is Elected President of the Court – 18 September 2012
IPP Media – Two new judges elected to Africa Human Rights court – 14 September 2012
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights – Opening Statement of the Vice-President of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Hon. Sophia Ab Akuffo – 28 April 2011
