Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei, a Justice of the Court of Appeal of the Republic of Ghana has been appointed to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the body responsible for nominating judges of the ICC.
With his appointment, he becomes the first Ghanaian judge to be a member of the sensitive body of the ICC with the mandate to recruit judges for the international court.
He was elected by consensus and would serve a three-year renewable term with four others from Italy, Serbia, Finland and France.
The election of the five to the Advisory Committee on Nomination of Judges to the Hague headquartered ICC occurred at the State Parties 7th plenary meeting of the 20th session.
The Court is the only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression in December 2021.
Sir Adjei has double Master of Laws Degrees with one in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of London in the United Kingdom. He has been Director of the Judicial Training Institute (JTI), which provides continuing legal education for Judges in Ghana.
He was also Dean of the Faculty of Law of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), as well as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Law at the faculties of law of the University of Cape Coast and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
The astute jurist and academic with recognised competencies in many fields of law has many publications to his credit including six legal textbooks.
As a reputable member of the Knights of St. John International with the rank of a Major General, he was on September 30, 2021 honoured with a Citation by the Ancient Noble Order.
The award was conferred on him at the 10th Biennial Supreme Subordinate Convention held at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, (KNUST) Kumasi on the theme “Christian formation for transformation in Ghana: The role of KSJI (Knights and Ladies)”
Major General Sir Justice Adjei who begun his KSJI journey at the Immaculate Conception Commandery No. 404, South Suntreso, encouraged young members to work hard in their various endeavors because there is joy in hard work and dedication.
He recalled how he got attracted to join the Order at the age of 21 when studying at the University of Ghana, Legon and this had deepened his Catholic Faith and had taken him places in his professional career and development.
A citation presented to him by Maj. General Peter Sangber Dery, the Immediate Past President of the Supreme Subordinate Commandery of Ghana read, “Your service to Mother Church, Country, and Community was very well recognized by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI when he Knighted you to the Order of St. Gregory the Great in 2005.”
“Professionally, you trained and practiced as a Lawyer, having read Law at the University of Ghana. Legon, and also completed the Ghana School of Law, leading to your being called to the Ghana Bar in 1993. You then founded the Holy Trinity Chambers in Kumasi and practiced from there until you were appointed as a Judge in the Court of Appeal in 2010,” the Citation added.
The Citation dated September 30, 2021 stated: “While practicing at the Bar you were elected to the position of President of the Kumasi Branch of the Ghana Bar Association and also served as a Member of the Bar Council of the Ghana Bar Association.”
It said “In recognition of your excellent service to the Bar and for your contribution to the development of the legal system in general you became the recipient of the Totoe Service Award, an award that is given to a Member of the Ashanti Bar Association who has contributed substantially to the development of law in the country.”
Major General Sir Justice Adjei joined the Knights of St John International through the Immaculate Conception Commandery No. 404, South Suntreso. He rose through the ranks, serving in various positions from the Local Commandery through to the Grand Commandery, and the Supreme Subordinate Level where he served as the Supreme Subordinate President of Ghana from 2013 to 2015.
He was also elected in the as a Supreme Trustee in 2014. He thus served as such on the Supreme Executive Board in the United States of America. While playing the above roles in the Order, He also more directly served Mother Church in various capacities, including being the Chairman of the Pastoral Council of the Christ the King Parish Cantonment, Accra.
