Accra: Circuit Court Judge Mrs. Sedinam Awo Kwadam has been named Valedictorian of the 2025 Masters Cohort of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). She graduated with distinction, earning a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.98 out of 4.00.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mrs. Kwadam received three honours: Best Graduate Student for GIMPA Law School, Dean's Excellence Award for top LLM student, and the Fatou Bensouda Prize for Best LLM Student in International Criminal Law and Justice. She is currently in the Netherlands participating in the International Criminal Law Summer Programme at Utrecht University and undertaking an academic visit to the International Criminal Court (ICC), including engagements with ICC personnel in The Hague.
In her recorded Valedictorian speech during GIMPA's 25th Congregation, she commended the African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ) at GIMPA Law School for its support, noting that the opportunity demonstrated 'GIMPA's global outlook, intellectual strength, and commitment through strategic international partnerships.' The Congregation was themed: 'From Heritage to Creative Futures: Inspiring Development through Artistic Education and Enterprise.'
Reflecting on her academic journey, Mrs. Kwadam said it had been one of 'immeasurable sacrifice, perseverance, and triumph.' She expressed that her time at GIMPA was restorative, describing it as a 'sanctuary of healing' that offered meaningful connections, renewed purpose, and transformative career opportunities.
Mrs. Kwadam described the past year as a period of intense intellectual challenge and transformation, shaped by rigorous research, tight deadlines, critical discourse, policy debates, and profound academic experiences. Marking the milestone with her peers, she emphasized their interconnectedness to the community, nation, and world, urging them to act with purpose, grounded in GIMPA's enduring values of excellence, integrity, and service.
According to Mrs. Kwadam, 'The degrees we have earned today are not mere credentials; they are a summons. A call to lead with courage, compassion, and conviction.' She highlighted that GIMPA has commissioned them to serve a world urgently in need of their contributions and transformations.
A distinguished member of Ghana's judiciary, Mrs. Kwadam is known for her intellectual depth and advocacy for improved conditions for lower court judges. With more than 13 years in legal practice, ten of which have been spent on the bench, she is recognized as a fair and principled jurist.
An alumna of Achimota School's 2002-year group, she began her legal career in private practice, gaining experience at Fugar and Company and the Legal Assistance Network of Ghana. Appointed Magistrate in 2015, she presided over the Teshie-Nungua District Court and was elevated in 2020 to serve at the Adenta Circuit Court. She currently presides over one of the Circuit Courts in Accra.
Mrs. Kwadam earned her LLB from KNUST and was called to the Ghana Bar in 2012, where she was honoured as Best Student in Law of Evidence. Her LLM studies at GIMPA produced critical work on Africa's engagement with the ICC, U.S. resistance to international criminal justice, and the Malabo Protocol.
Beyond the courtroom, she lectures in-person and online, mentors aspiring lawyers, advocates for legal reform through her writing, and enjoys cooking and historical documentaries.
