Speaking at a valedictory ceremony for Justice Dotse at the Supreme Court Tuesday [June 6, 2023], Mr Dame said Justice Dotse used his position to improve the law and promote the cause of justice.

“You brought to the task of judging unmatched gentlemanliness, grace, caution, commitment and erudition and a great deal of empathy for, and the understanding of, the frailties of the human condition.

Your extreme sense of humanity, kindness and compassion in the adjudication of cases qualifies you, and in my respectful opinion, for the accolade. “A judge’s judge, a lawyer’s judge, and a litigant’s judge, all rolled into one,’ he said.

Champion of freedom

The Chief Justice designate, Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, described Justice Dotse as a “fierce contender for rights.”

She said Justice Dotse used his judgments to protect vulnerable groups such as women and orphans in decisions including “Gregory v Tandoh IV & Hanson” and “Mensah v Mensah”, a watershed decision in which Justice Dotse introduced equitable distribution of spousal properties between the husband and wife.

‘’For over four decades, you have served the law, 23 years of which have been to the nation and its citizens.
You have pursued the cause of justice and expanded freedom. You have helped build this democracy we are enjoying now,” she said.

Appreciation

Amid intermittent tears, Justice Dotse thanked his family members, friends, lawyers, judges, his colleague Justices of the Supreme Court, and all those who had contributed to his success and supported him throughout his life and career.

Justice Dotse was particularly grateful to President John Agyekum Kufuor for appointing him to the High Court in 2002, promoting him to the Court of Appeal in 2003 and finally elevating him to the Supreme Court in 2008.

On what he intended to do on retirement, Justice Dotse said he would continue to be active and contribute to the promotion of justice by working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the justice space.

Again, he said he would set up a Trust Fund in his mother’s name to support girl-child education in the mother’s hometown in the Volta Region and also build a nursery for the day care he attended in Kpando.

“I will also take my deserved rest but I intend writing my memoirs from 2024 by the Grace of God,’’ he said.