Judicial service dismisses registrar for fraudulently preparing court orders

The Judicial Service has taken decisive action by dismissing Sebastian Agbo, the former Registrar of the Lands Division of the High Court in Tema, for his involvement in fraudulently preparing more than 30 court orders.

The dismissal, which occurred on May 18, 2023, serves as a stern message against such misconduct within the judiciary.

A notice of dismissal issued on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, and signed by Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo, the Judicial Secretary, strongly advised the public against engaging with Mr. Agbo in any official capacity as a staff member of the Judicial Service.

"The General Public and Staff of the Judicial Service are hereby informed that Mr. Sebastian Agbo, formerly of the Land Court, Tema, was dismissed from the Judicial Service of Ghana on 18th May 2023 for fraudulently preparing thirty (30) Court orders, a major offense under Section 37(a) of the Conditions of Service for Senior and Junior Employees of the Judicial Service. In view of the ongoing, Mr. Sebastian Agbo no longer represents the Judicial Service. All persons who deal with him, therefore, do so at their own peril. Please be advised accordingly," the statement reads.

The dismissal comes after the Supreme Court referred Mr. Agbo to the Chief Justice for investigations in a case related to the estate of a deceased pastor.

Prior to the referral, the Judicial Service had already placed Mr. Agbo on interdiction due to suspicious activities during his tenure as the Registrar of the Tema High Court.

In addition to Mr. Agbo's dismissal, the Supreme Court has also referred Justice Emmanuel Ankamah, the former Tema High Court judge who presided over the estate case in 2022 and currently serves as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, for investigations.

The verdict, which was reported by graphic.com.gh, served as Justice Jones Dotse's valedictory ruling (basically his last case) as he officially retired from the Bench on Thursday, June 8, 2023.

According to the report, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Jones Dotse, issued a unanimous judgement on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, stating that the case's precedents were damaging to the judiciary's reputation.

The court by referral, pressed on the CJ to investigate Justice Emmanuel Ankamah of the Court of Appeal, who presided over the case at a High Court in Tema, in 2022, as well as the High Court's former registrar, Sabastian Agbo.

“In our collective wisdom, we deem it appropriate to refer this case to the Chief Justice to cause further investigations into the conduct of the learned trial judge and Sebastian Agbo, then Registrar of the High Court, Tema under whose tenure the sordid affairs happened.

"This should cover all officers who played any role in this shameful specie of conduct,” the report said.

Justice Dotse, delivering the judgment, ruled that Justice Ankamah violated the principles of natural justice by not providing the caveators with an opportunity to be heard before dismissing the caveat.

YNA/WA