Joy Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu

Henrietta Joy Abena Nyarko Mensa-Bonsu, JSC, FGA (born 29 October 1957) is a Supreme Court Judge of the Republic of Ghana.[2] She was nominated by president Nana-Akufo-Addo.[3][4][5] She is the 5th female member of the Court.[6][7] Prior to her appointment to the Supreme Court, she was a Ghanaian law professor who served as a member of the United Nations Independent Panel On Peace Operations.[8][9]

Justice
Henrietta J. A. N. Mensa-Bonsu
JSC, FGA
Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana
Assumed office
2020
Nominated byNana Akufo-Addo
Personal details
Born (1957-10-29) October 29, 1957[1]
Kumasi, Ashanti Region
EducationWesley Girls' High School
Alma mater
ProfessionJudge

Early life and education

Mensa-Bonsu was born on 29 October 1957 in Kumasi.[1] She attended Wesley Girls High School for both her ordinary level certificate and advanced level certificate obtained in 1975 and 1977 respectively. She continued at University of Ghana where she graduated with Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 1980 and studied at the Ghana School of Law from 1980 to 1982. She was called to the Ghana bar in 1982. Mensa-Bonsu had postgraduate studies at Yale University, obtaining a Master of Laws (LLM) in 1985.[10]

Career

Mensa-Bonsu was employed as a law lecturer at the University of Ghana in 1985 and rose through the ranks to attain full professorship in 2002. In 2003, she was elected a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.[4] Some academic positions held by Mensa-Bonsu at University of Ghana include been Director of the Legon Centre for International and Advanced Diplomacy and the acting Dean of the Faculty of Law. She was elected president of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2019.[11]

She has used platforms available to her to advocate for peace to accelerate national development. She was the guest speaker at the Second Annual Peace Lecture put together by the Accra West chapter of the Rotary Club and the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), where she spoke about the "need to nurture peace" without waiting "till the need arises for peace before we go for it".[8] She delivered the 2014 University of Ghana Alumni Association lecture on the topic "The African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture: A guarantor of peace and security on the continent”.[10]

In 2017, Mensa-Bonsu failed in her bid to be elected as a Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC).[12] She was a member of the Presidential Commission of Enquiry which probed the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.[13][4][14]

Supreme Court appointment

Mensa-Bonsu was nominated by Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, the President of Ghana, in May 2020 for consideration for appointment to the bench of the Supreme Court of Ghana.[15]

Her name was submitted with other three judges by the president Nana-Akufo-Addo to Parliament for appointment into the Supreme Court bench. The others were Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga, Justice Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu and Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi.[4] She was approved by the Parliament after she was recommended by the Appointment Committee.[6][8] She was sworn into office by the President Nana Akufo-Addo.[16][17]

Personal life

Mensa-Bonsu is married to Kwaku Mensa-Bonsu and they have three adult daughters, five grandchildren, three foster sons and three foster grandchildren.[13]

See also

References
  1. Service, Judicial. "Four New Supreme Court Justices Sworn into Office". judicial.gov.gh. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
  2. "I shall demonstrate uncompromising fidelity to the Constitution – Justice Kulendi". www.ghanaweb.com. 2020-05-26. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  3. "5 key highlights from vetting of Supreme Court nominees". 13 May 2020.
  4. "Vetting of Supreme Court Justice nominees begins today". Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  5. "The court is busy!". www.ghanaweb.com. 2020-05-20. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  6. "Four Supreme Court Justice nominees approved by Parliament". Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2020-05-20. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  7. "Justice Mensa-Bonsu joins Supreme Court Bench". www.ghanaweb.com. 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  8. "'Guard peace in the country' – Prof. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu". www.ghanaweb.com. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  9. "Prof. Mensa-Bonsu Appointed Member Of United Nations Secretary-General's High Level Independent Panel On Peace Operations. | University of Ghana". www.ug.edu.gh. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  10. Graphic, Daily. "Prof Mensa-Bonsu delivers 2014 Alumni Lecture today – Graphic Online". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  11. "Glitz top 100 inspirational women – Page 100 – Glitz Africa Magazine". Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  12. Eric Oteng (December 7, 2017), Female judges from Benin and Uganda join ICC africanews.
  13. "Prof Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu". www.todaygh.com. November 17, 2017. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020.
  14. "Wesley Girls High School - Achievement". Archived from the original on 2018-05-06. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
  15. "Akufo-Addo nominates Henrietta Mensa Bonsu and 3 others to Supreme Court bench". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  16. "Akufo-Addo swears-in Supreme Court Justices Mensa-Bonsu and Yonny Kulendi". Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2020-05-26. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  17. "I'll serve Ghana – New SC judge Mensah Bonsu". www.ghanaweb.com. 2020-05-26. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
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