Musah Ahmed has revealed that the newly created Specialised High Court Division will operate with a distinct mandate and enhanced resources, including specially trained judges — many drawn from the Court of Appeal.
Speaking on The Law on JoyNews, Ahmed provided fresh details on how the courts, established by Paul Baffoe-Bonnie through a circular dated February 5, 2026, will function in practice.
“These courts will be equipped differently — both in equipment and human resources, including the judges,” he said, emphasising that the initiative extends beyond a mere administrative restructuring.
Scope of the new division
According to Ahmed, the Specialised High Court Division will focus on four critical areas:
Corruption and public accountability
Natural resources and illegal mining (galamsey)
State asset recovery
Organised crime and security
These areas reflect pressing national concerns, particularly long-standing delays in corruption prosecutions and the environmental damage caused by illegal mining activities.
Specialised judicial capacity
Ahmed clarified that the judges assigned to the division are not new appointments but experienced members of the bench who have undergone targeted training in relevant fields.
“Some of them have had training in maritime cases. Some have had cybersecurity training. Some have also had financial crime training. So we are going to employ all these judges to sit,” he explained.
He further disclosed that the majority of the judges will come from the Court of Appeal, underscoring the judiciary’s decision to assign senior and highly experienced jurists to handle the complex and sensitive matters expected before the division.
Legal foundation and operational reforms
The establishment of the division was authorised under Section 14(3) of the Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459), which empowers the Chief Justice to assign judges of the Superior Court of Judicature to specific divisions.
In addition, the Chief Justice has directed that High Court offices operate extended hours — from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm on weekdays — to help manage caseload pressures.
The Judicial Service is also revising the Rules of Court, with the updated framework expected to take effect by March 2026. Complementary technological reforms are planned to further enhance efficiency and improve justice delivery.
Restoring confidence
The creation of a dedicated, well-resourced division staffed by specially trained judges is widely viewed as a direct response to public frustration over the slow pace of justice in high-profile corruption and galamsey cases.
By concentrating expertise and resources within a specialised structure, the judiciary aims to accelerate proceedings and restore public confidence in the administration of justice.
