Mob justice due to mistrust – CHRAJ

Miss Halina Nuhu, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), has attributed the upsurge of mob justice on suspects to the mistrust and the lack of confidence in the judicial system.

She has, therefore, urged the judiciary, Attorney General's Department and the Police to instil faith in the general public about the judicial process.

Ms Nuhu was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani on Monday to commemorate the celebration of the United Nation's International Human Rights Day.

She decried the practice of remanding people in prison custody for long periods and appealed to the Attorney General's Department to expedite action to facilitate speedy court proceedings.

On human rights abuses, the Regional Director said the Commission recorded 3,000 cases from January to November 2007 compared to 3,900 in 2006.

Ms Nuhu said the Commission also recorded two cases of child trafficking at Duayaw-Nkwanta and Yeji during the period.

She said at Yeji a 12 year-old boy had been in servitude for seven years whilst a seven year-old girl from the Northern Region served as a chop bar attendant.

Ms Nuhu said victims of human rights abuse were now becoming more conscious and were reporting cases to the Commission as a result of the massive public education embarked upon by the Commission in the Region.