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CJ deplores endorsement of
fraudulent documents by notaries public
Accra, Oct. 13, Ghanadot/GNA - The Chief Justice Mrs Justice
Georgina T. Wood on Friday deplored the attitude of some
notaries public who endorsed fraudulent documents submitted
to embassies saying the judiciary had been under attack from
embassies who had found them not to be trustworthy following
the presentation of such fraudulent documents.
"Indeed, as officers of the court, the Supreme Court is
empowered under the law to suspend you from practicing for
any period or order your name to be struck out of the roll
of notaries," she said when she swore into office 41
notaries public at the Supreme Court in Accra.
Notaries public are persons who have been in legal practice
for not less than 10 years and are of high moral character
and integrity.
A notary is also a qualified and experienced lawyer trained
in the drafting and execution of legal documents, prepares
contracts, leases, powers of attorney, articles of
partnership, wills and other instruments and their work is
recognised internationally.
Mrs Justice Wood said: "If you willfully certify or propound
any false statement or document or if you fraudulently and
with intent to deceive, conceal, withhold, or prevent any
fact or document pertinent to the subject of a notary act
you will be guilty of misdemeanour."
She urged them to use a reasonable amount of skill, care and
diligence in their work saying, "failure to exercise due
diligence, care and skill may lead to unpleasant consequence
such as withdrawal of licenses of the notary public".
"Determine the identity of the person requesting a notaries
act. You must not notarise a signature of a person who had
not appeared before you," she told them.
Spelling out the functions of the notary, Mrs Justice Wood
said they would be required to authenticate documents that
could be used abroad and appealed to them to be conversant
with principles and procedures of foreign countries.
She called on them to be proficient in one or two foreign
languages and acquire basic knowledge in international law
saying they should not to depend on translators and
interpreters to do their work for them.
The Chief justice further charged the notaries public to
bring their capacities as lawyers to salvage the image of
the judiciary thereby becoming ambassadors of the nation.
She said it was important for the notaries public to
maintain a registry of all activities performed by them in
order to serve as a record base and asked them to notify the
judiciary of any changes of names and address.
GNA
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