The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has raised concerns over the extended durations of high-profile criminal trials in Ghana.
“It is unjust and unfair for so-called high-profile criminal cases involving the offences of fraud and money laundering and willfully causing financial loss to the state to drag on for years while similar cases filed against perceived ordinary members of society are concluded within six months to one year,” the Attorney General said this in a speech at the annual conference of magistrates and judges.
Godfred Dame also noted that a robust legal system underpinned by the rule of law goes hand in hand with economic prosperity and bolsters the confidence of the people to avoid wrongdoings.
He also mentioned that a court system in which summary trials of criminal cases can last for more than four years militates against the right to a fair trial, defeats the ends of justice and must be looked at again.
The Attorney General therefore urged the judiciary to streamline their processes and eliminate any undue delays that contribute to the prolonged duration of these cases.
Also at the conference, the Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo noted that the Judiciary service will see several reforms in the coming years to help speed up and conclude cases that have been in court for several years.
The two-day conference which started on September 27, was on the theme: A Financially Independent and Accountable Judiciary: The Key to Effective Justice Delivery.