14 Facts About Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy was a Ghanaian politician, who served as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in the First Republic.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy was born on 25 October 1921 at Beyin, an Nzema area in the Western Region of Ghana.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy attended Roman Catholic schools in Axim, Eikwe and Half Assini from 1927 to 1933.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy attended St Theresa's Seminary in Amisano from 1933 to 1938 in hopes of becoming a Catholic priest.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy returned to Achimota School in 1942 to pursue his University of London Intermediate Bachelor of Arts degree at Achimota College and completed it in 1944.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy had his university education at the Victoria University of Manchester's School of History from 1947 to 1950 and the University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam house- School of Research Studies in 1952, where he obtained his postgraduate degree and in 1954 he was called to the English bar at Lincoln's Inn.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy set up practice in the Gold Coast in 1955.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy became a public officer when he was appointed chairman of the Timber Marketing Board in April 1960.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy was appointed deputy attorney general, working with Geoffrey Bing, who was the then Attorney General of Ghana.

In Gambia, Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy secured the acquittal of the former Gambian President, Sir Dauda Jawara and several members of his Progressive Peoples' Party for electoral malpractices and fraud in 1962.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy was elected joint-chairman of the Ghana Muslim Representative Council on 6 July 1974.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy converted to the Islamic faith through the agency of Sheik Ibrahim Amartey while in prison at Ussher Fort, on 5 October 1967, after the change of government in February 1966.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy adopted the name Bashiru which means: "bearer of good tidings" in Arabic in place of Bartholomew.

Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy died on Monday, 15 September 1997, at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital after a short illness.