Kobina Arku Korsah

Sir Kobina Arku Korsah (3 April 1894, Saltpond – 25 January 1967)[1] was the first Chief Justice of Ghana (then the Gold Coast) in 1956.[2]

Kobina Arku Korsah
1st Chief Justice of Ghana
In office 6 March 1957 – December 1963
Preceded by	New Position
Succeeded by	Julius Sarkodee-Addo
13th Chief Justice of the Gold Coast
In office 1956 – 6 March 1957
Preceded by	Sir Mark Wilson
Succeeded by	None
Personal details
Born	(1894-04-03)3 April 1894 Saltpond, Ghana
Died	25 January 1967(1967-01-25) (aged 72) Ghana

Biography

Born in Saltpond, Korsah was educated at Mfantsipim School, Fourah Bay College (BA degree in 1915),[1] Durham University and London University (LLB in 1919).[1][3]

In 1942, Nana Sir Ofori Atta and Sir Arku Korsah were the first two Ghanaians to be appointed to the Legislative Council by the then Governor of the Gold Coast, Sir Alan Burns.[4][5] Korsah was one of the 20 founding members of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1959.[6] After the Kulungugu attack on President Kwame Nkrumah in August 1962,[7] Sir Arku Korsah presided over the trial of five defendants. At the end of that trial, three of the accused were found not guilty and this displeased the Nkrumah government. Nkrumah sacked Sir Arku as Chief Justice in December 1963 unconstitutionally.[2]

Family

One of his sons, Roger who was a high court judge in Ghana, moved to Zimbabwe where he became a Supreme Court Judge. He died in February 2017.[8]

See also

• Chief Justice of Ghana
• List of judges of the Supreme Court of Ghana
• Supreme Court of Ghana

References

1. Makers of Modern Africa, London: Africa Journal Ltd, 1981, pp. 289-90.
2. "Outrage at Law". Time Magazine. 20 December 1963. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
3. Daniel Miles McFarland, Historical Dictionary of Ghana, Scarecrow Press, 1995, pp. 106–07.
4. "Countries united by an ancient bond – Freedom after 400 years". Liverpool Daily Post. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
5. Buah, F. K. (1980). History of Ghana. London: Lincoln. ISBN 978-0-333-29515-1.
6. "History – Foundation Members". Official Website. Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
7. Justice Sarpong, "Who Actually Tried To Kill Nkrumah At Kulungugu?", GhanaWeb, 26 February 2014.
8. "Retired Judge Korsah dies". Newsday.co.zw. News Day. 18 February 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2019.

See also

• Supreme Court of Ghana
• List of judges of the Supreme Court of Ghana

–

Legal offices
Preceded by Sir Mark Wilson	Chief Justice of the Gold Coast 1956–57	Succeeded by Gold Coast attains independence
Preceded by Ghana established	Chief Justice of Ghana 1957–63	Succeeded by Julius Sarkodee-Addo