Justice V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe Laid To Rest

A state funeral service has been held today, October 4 2018 in honour of Justice V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe at the Fore Court of the State House in Accra.

The Sole Statute Law Revision Commissioner and founder of the Electoral Commission, who contributed tremendously to legal reforms and education in Ghana and beyond, died on Friday, September 7, after a short illness, aged 94.

A two-hour pre-burial filing past was allowed which begun on 0630, while the final funeral service started at exactly 0900 hours at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC),  after which he would be buried at a private service.

After the burial, information is that, the final funeral rites and reception would be held at the AICC.

About Justice V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe

He was born on 29 October 1923 at Ussher town in Accra, Gold Coast, he was educated at the Government Junior and Senior Boys Schools in Accra. He attended the Accra Academy for the Cambridge Junior and Senior School Certificates. He went to London to study Economics at the City of London College Moorgate, London 1950-1952. He died at the age of 94 on 7th September 2018 in Accra, Ghana.

In August 1952, he was admitted to the Honourable Society of the Iner 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 has held the post of First Parliamentary Counsel and Constitutional Advisor 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.

Crabbe was Special Commissioner to the 1968 Constitutional Commission; Legislative Draftsmen to the 1969 Constituent Assembly which drafted the 1969 Constitution of Ghana. He was the Chairman of the 1979 Constituent Assembly and drafted the 1979 Constitution of Ghana.

He worked with the Constitutional Review Commission of Kenya and was Leader of the group of Draftspersons who drafted the Kenya Constitution. He did work 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. With Justice P.N. Bhaqwati, 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.