Robert John Hayfron-Benjamin was a Ghanaian lawyer and judge. He was the Chief Justice of Botswana and an Appeal Court judge in Ghana. He was also the chairman of the Ghana Law Reform Commission and the deputy speaker of the Consultative Assembly that was established to help draft and interpret the 1992 constitution.[1] He attended Adisadel College.
Robert John Hayfron-Benjamin | |
|---|---|
| Appeal Court Judge | |
| In office 1976–1977 | |
| In office 1981–1997 | |
| Chief Justice of Botswana | |
| In office 1977–1981 | |
| Preceded by | George O. L. Dyke |
| Succeeded by | James Aiden O'Brien Quinn |
| High Court Judge | |
| In office 24 June 1964 – 1976 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 1929 Gold Coast |
| Died | September 22, 2000 |
| Nationality | Ghanaian |
| Alma mater | University of London (LLB) |
Biography
editHayfron-Benjamin was born in April 1929 in Ghana (then Gold Coast).[2]
He studied at the University of London for his Bachelor of Laws degree[3] and proceeded to the Middle Temple, London to study law. He was called to the bar in 1955.[4]
Hayfron-Benjamin begun as a private legal practitioner in Ghana from 1955 to 1963 when he was appointed Principal State Attorney.[4][5] On 24 June 1964, he was called to the bench of the High Court of Ghana and in 1966,[6][7] he doubled as a Solicitor General.[4][8] He served as a High Court judge from 1964 until 1976 when he was elevated to Appeal Court bench.[9]
In 1977, Hayfron-Benjamin was appointed Chief Justice of Botswana. He served in that capacity until 1981.[10] After his judicial service in Botswana, he returned to Ghana and resumed in his previous post as Justice of the Court of Appeal. He served in this capacity until his retirement from judicial service in 1997. In 1991, he was elected deputy speaker of the Consultative Assembly, an assembly that was established to help draft and interpret the 1992 constitution.[11]
He died in 2000, aged 71.[12]
Awards
edit- Member of the Order of the Volta. (1977)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "West Africa, Issues 3860-3876". Afrimedia International. 1991: 1509.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Wolfers, Michael (1976). Politics in the Organization of African Unity. Methuen. p. 112. ISBN 9780416769609.
- ^ Annual Reports- University of Cape Coast (Report). University of Cape Coast. 1971. p. 5.
- ^ a b c Wolfers, Michael (1976). Politics in the Organization of African Unity. Methuen. p. 112. ISBN 9780416769609.
- ^ A Sourcebook of the Constitutional Law of Ghana: pts. 1-2. The cases: 1872 through 1970. Faculty of Law, University of Ghana. 1972.
- ^ "Ghana Today, Volume 8". Information Section, Ghana Office. 1964: 6.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "The Supreme Court of Ghana Law Reports, Volume 2". The Supreme Court of Ghana Law Reports. Advanced Legal Publications: 1084. 2012.
- ^ Wolfers, Michael (1976). Politics in the Organization of African Unity. Methuen. p. 111. ISBN 9780416769609.
- ^ Angola Comité (Amsterdam, Netherlands) (1977). Facts & Reports (Report). Amsterdam, Holland : The Comité.
- ^ Dingake, O. B. (17 March 2020). Judges. Notion Press. ISBN 9781648288661.
- ^ "Annual Report, Issue 16". Ghana Law Reform Commission. 1991: 14.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "The late Robert John Hayfron-Benjamin (1929 - 2000)". 24 September 2020.