High court judge threatens sanctions against jurors in court for absenteeism

In a stern warning to jurors, High Court Judge Justice Lydia Osei Marfo has threatened to impose sanctions on jurors who continue to absent themselves from court proceedings.

The judge's frustration followed the frequent absence of three jurors in a high-profile case involving two men accused of murdering the late Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, Mr. Joseph Boakye Danquah Adu.

Justice Lydia Osei Marfo emphasized that jurors must recognize court sittings as duty and demonstrate their commitment by attending consistently.

The judge gave the warning Tuesday afternoon when Detective Chief Inspector Augustus Nkrumah, the eighth prosecution witness, was expected to conclude his evidence in chief in the case titled "The Republic versus Daniel Asiedu and Vincent Bosu."

However, the court was forced to adjourn the session due to the presence of only four out of the seven jury members.

Expressing her disappointment, Justice Osei Marfo revealed that the jurors had previously cited delayed allowances as the reason for their absence.

However, the judge firmly stated that the jurors' financial obligations had been fulfilled a month ago by the government, leaving them with no valid reason to absent themselves.

She further expressed her concern that some jurors had developed a character of refusing to attend court despite being empaneled which has become a normal habit.

Justice Osei Marfo noted that the court had to make arrangements to secure the release of the prosecution witness, who is a cadet officer at the Police Training College.

The judge also highlighted the negative impact of the jurors' repeated delays on the proceedings, as other parties involved in the case consistently attended on time.

To address the issue, Justice Osei Marfo issued a warning that any juror appearing late or deliberately absent from court from Wednesday, May 24, 2023, onward would face legal sanctions.

Additionally, the court summoned the Dean of the Jury to appear before it, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

This incident is not an isolated one, as numerous judges have recently expressed their concerns about the behavior and attitudes of jurors.

On Monday, Justice Mariam Owusu, presiding over the case of the murder of the late Major Maxwell Mahama, also expressed similar dissatisfaction with the absence of a jury member.