The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) is mourning co-chair of the coalition, Justice V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe who passed away on Friday, September 7, aged 95.
V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe, a former justice of the Supreme Court reportedly died after a short illness.
[contextly_sidebar id=”oqGsRb0A6yPsOpxJWc9Mc74DlTaIBW8G”]“The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has learnt, with deep sorrow, the passing of its Co-Chair, Justice V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe, whose death occurred this morning, September 7, 2018 after a short illness. CODEO expresses its deepest condolences to his family on this loss. Indeed, the entire people of Ghana have lost an illustrious son,” the coalition stated in a statement.
The statement signed by National Coordinator of CODEO, Albert Arhin, said Crabbe rendered several decades of public service to Ghana “during which period he served the country in diverse capacities and across different spheres of national life, including the Judiciary, the Electoral Commission, and the Attorney-General’s Department.”
Since joining CODEO in the year 2004 as Co-Chair with Professor Miranda Greenstreet, CODEO said Justice Crabbe worked to promote electoral integrity, transparency and credibility in Ghana.
“Justice Crabbe will be remembered for his selflessness, dedication and commitment to duty,” the statement added.
Several tributes have so far poured for late Crabbe.
President Nana Akufo-Addo described Crabbe as a respected servant who contributed immensely to Ghana’s jurisprudence and development.
“Respected public servant, eminent jurist, 1st Ghanaian Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Justice of the Supreme Court, accomplished Ghanaian and patriot, he served his country with distinction, and contributed immensely to our nation’s jurisprudence and development. His discipline, honesty and integrity made him an outstanding servant of the Ghanaian people and of the public interest,” Nana Addo said in his Facebook post.
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, also said Crabbe “played an unprecedented role in the development of law, as well as democratic institutions in Ghana, and was a fearless advocate.”
Profile of V.C.R.A.C Crabbe
He was born on 29 October 1923 at Ussher town in Accra, Gold Coast, and was educated at the Government Junior and Senior Boys Schools in Accra.
VCRAC Crabbe is an old boy of Accra Academy where he sat for the Cambridge Junior and Senior School Certificates
He further went to London to study Economics at the City of London College Moorgate, London 1950-1952.
In August 1952, he was admitted to the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple to read law .
He completed the normal three-year course in two years and was called to the Bar on the 8th February, 1955 having being granted a dispensation.
The same year he was enrolled as a member of the Gold Coast Bar, in order to maintain his Seniority at the Bar.
He progressed from Assistant Crown Counsel to Parliamentary Counsel, the first African to be appointed as such, and ended up as a Senior Instructor at the International Law Development Centre in Rome, Italy.
In between, he held the post of First Parliamentary Counsel and Constitutional Adviser to the Uganda Government, Director of the Commonwealth Secretariat Scheme for Legislative draftsmen for the West African Region, Southern Africa Region, the Caribbean Region, and a Professor of Legislative drafting at the Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, University of West Indies.
He worked with the Constitutional Review Commission of Kenya, and was Leader of the group of Draftspersons who drafted the Kenya Constitution.
He served as Ghana’s first Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.
He did work with the Zambian Constitutional Commission for the drafting of the Zambian Constitution, as well with the Fiajoe Review Commission for the review of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
He also worked with Justice P.N. Bhagwati, former Chief Justice of India, and Justice Eso of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to advise on the setting up of the Constitutional Court in South Africa.
In March 2017, he was elected a fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, and he delivered an inaugural lecture on the theme; The Philosophy of Man.
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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citinewsroom.com/Ghana