Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo
Judges in the country have called for the provision of a safe working and living environment, with specific focus on improved security around the courts in the wake of attacks on some staff of the Judicial Service.
Various speakers at this year’s annual general meeting of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) in Accra yesterday under the theme, “Improving the Security and Welfare of the Judiciary for Effective Justice Delivery,” called for enhanced security around the courts across the country as pertains in some other countries.
Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, in a speech indicated that the administration of justice must be conducted in an environment in which the citizen feels safe and assured of the integrity of the process and outcomes.
“As custodians and enforcers of the constitution and laws of Ghana, we must remain mindful of the effect of how court work is conducted on the citizens for whose benefit we exercise judicial authority,” she pointed out.
She highlighted some security concerns facing judges, including situations where some judges are compelled to rent apartments, thereby exposing their living conditions to the general public, allowing for threats to their personal security, threats to the integrity of the justice delivery process, and threats to the independence of the judiciary.
Chief Justice Torkornoo indicated that the budget for next year has estimates to take quick and early measures such as installation of cameras, and locks to improve security in the courts, adding that the Judicial Police now has offices within the courts and another facility is being developed to strengthen their work in the courts.
She decried a decision by the Lands Commission to purport to sell some bungalows inhabited by judges, and the lands on which they stand to private developers under the “rubric of urban redevelopment schemes.”
This, she said, left her with no choice but to “resort to the doctrine of necessity and commence legal actions to bring clarity and legality to the situation confronting the Judicial Service.”
The Chief Justice also disclosed that work has also started on a stand-alone building for the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court registries, in preparation for the operation of a paperless registry that allows for virtual hearings by these highest courts.
Effectiveness
Chief Justice Torkornoo expressed concern about the situation where some judges adjourn cases just ‘for mentioning’ on the next date, a situation which is causing substantial delay in justice delivery.
“No matter how tall a cause list is, my sincere view is that with the inclusion of witness statements as a necessary part of the trial process in both civil and criminal cases, there is no need for a court to adjourn a case after the case management conferences for ‘mention’.”
The Chief Justice also urged judges to monitor the efficiency of the backroom processes regarding the dockets before them, so that they do not pile up their own cause lists through interminable adjournments.
Delayed Allowances
President of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana, Justice Henry Anthony Kwofie, lamented about the poor security services provided for judges, stating that “basically, we have no security,” non-payment of their allowances and the non-adjustment of their salaries since 2020.
“As we talk about work, keeping our integrity and everything, I think these concerns ought to be addressed seriously,” he added.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak