Judicial Council won't allow corruption to derail justice - CJ

Aflao, Feb. 25, GNA - The Judicial Council will not allow corruption to derail economic development and the dispensation of justice in the country, Mr Justice George Kingsley Acquah, Chief Justice, has said. He warned that any member of the judiciary and the general public found to be attempting to twist the course of justice through corruption would not be spared.

Inaugurating a 570-million cedis building for the Circuit Court at Aflao on Friday, Mr Acquah noted that the judiciary was an important institution for the protection of the rights, integrity and peace of the individual and should be rid of corruption. "Corruption of the judiciary is the corruption of the entire society," he said.

The Chief Justice cautioned members of the Service to eschew all acts of corruption to help build a competent and dignified institution and appealed to the traditional authorities to educate their subjects to desist from contacts with court staff with the view to influencing them to facilitate diversion of the course of justice. Mr Justice Acquah said the dispensation of justice under the ambit of the Rule of Law was crucial for the advancement of the country's democracy and would therefore not be toyed with.

The Chief Justice announced that 32 career magistrates would pass out for appointment to courts in 32 districts including Ketu in August, this year. He commended the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council (VRCC) and the Ketu District Assembly for financing the project as well as the Aflao traditional authorities for donating the land for the building.

Mr Kofi Dzamesi, Volta Regional Minister said a good judiciary was crucial to the Rule of Law and Good Governance being pursued by the government to enhance speedy development of the country. He pledged the preparedness of the RCC and the district assemblies to provide the facilities needed by the judiciary in the Region. Mr Linus Coffie, Ketu District Chief Executive, who said the Assembly spent about 60 million cedis on projects for the judiciary last year, called for the ceding of part of fines to be imposed on offenders to the Assembly to help it to improve on the structures for the judiciary in the District.

Togbe Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief of the area, who chaired the function lauded members of the Bar and Bench for their excellent handling of cases including some volatile land issues that would have disturbed the peace in his area. He reiterated Mr Justice Acquah's call on the Assembly to fence the building to help secure equipment and documents.