Born October 29 in 1957, Professor Henrietta Joy Abena Nyarko Mensa Bonsu, a justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana turned 64 last Friday.
A product of Wesley Girls High School in Capecoast where she had her secondary education, she proceeded to University of Ghana and obtained her Bachelors in Law (LLB) in 1980. She did her national service with the Ghana Prisons Service and was called to the bar in 1982 and became a teaching assistant at her alma mater University of Ghana. She obtained her LLM at Yale University in 1985 and upon her return became a lecturer at the faculty of law that same year.
In 2007, the law professor was appointed by the United Nations as the deputy special representative for rule of law in Liberia. She was also director for Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy.
Prof. Mensa Bonsu has served in various professional capacities as Project Coordinator, Program on Alternative Dispute Resolution, Faculty of Law of the University of Ghana between October 1996 and June 2002. She also served on the OAU committee of Eminent Jurists on Lockerbie Case, Member of the National Reconciliation Commission of Ghana, African Union (AU) Committee of Eminent Jurists on Hessene Habre Case, International Technical Advisor to Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a member of the Presidential Commission of Enquiry on the Ayawaso West Wougon bye election in Ghana and member of the United Nations Secretary General High Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations amongst others. She was Ghana’s nominee to the International Criminal Court in 2017 but failed in her bid.
Last year (2020), she was sworn in as a justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana after her nomination and subsequent approval by Ghana’s parliament.
She is married to Dr. Kwaku Mensa Bonsu, founder of Primetime Limited. Primetime is behind the annual National Science and Maths Quiz Competition (NSMQ) and they have three daughters.
She has won numerous awards and honors for her immense contribution and impact.
Happy birthday to this distinguished woman who has served her country well and in other international capacities.
Above Photo: Prof Ken Attafuah presenting the award for Excellence in Education to Law Professor, Justice Henrietta Mensah Bonsu at the 2016 Glitz Women of the Year Honors.
Send your news stories to dannyboy744@gmail.com and via WhatsApp on +233 266777777
