Our Jury system is good but needs broader inclusion — Justice Ackaah-Boafo

Supreme Court nominee Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo has praised Ghana’s jury system as fundamentally sound but urged significant reforms to make it more inclusive and efficient.

Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Friday, June 20, 2025, Justice Ackaah-Boafo acknowledged the strengths of the existing system but argued that its current structure is too narrow and excludes a large portion of the citizenry from participation.

“Recently there was a provision with regard to juries. Let me say that our jury system is a good system. The idea is that your peers listen to your case and rule on it,” he stated.

He advocated for expanding jury eligibility to all Ghanaian citizens aged 21 and above, including those in the private sector.

His suggestion includes creating a selection framework through district assemblies to diversify the jury pool and foster broader civic participation.

“Rather than limiting it to public servants, can we have a system where every Ghanaian above 21 years can be nominated to serve as a juror at the district assembly? When the pool is enlarged, you'll have many people willing to serve, and it's one way of enriching the system,” he explained.

Justice Ackaah-Boafo stressed that increasing the number and variety of eligible jurors could help tackle the backlog in criminal cases and ensure quicker trials.

“We must have a system where criminal matters are something we can complete timeously. We shouldn't be trying cases from 2022 in 2025,” he added, noting that with a larger jury pool, day-to-day trials could become more achievable.

His remarks highlight a growing concern within Ghana’s legal system over prolonged delays in criminal trials and reflect wider calls for reforms that will strengthen access to justice and public trust in the judiciary.