Our Judiciary is still a laughing stock

Folks, our Judiciary sucks. Judges of Ghana’s superior courts return to work next week, ending their annual vacation. They will be back to work, raising several needling doubts and questions about what new work ethics they will bring to bear on their performance.

Public perception of their integrity is still negative. Little is forgotten about the rot in the Judiciary that Anas Aremeyaw Anas exposed to the world.

Added to that dark cloud is the disturbing spate of piled-up cases. Why is it difficult for our courts to expedite action on cases so justice delivery can improve? Let’s not go any further. Some glaring instances come to mind. Over the past year alone, high-profile cases have been lodged at the courts but are not being tried with the alacrity that they deserve. Some of them, criminal or civil, have been dragging on needlessly long. Examples:

i. MURDER OF NPP UPPER EAST REGIONAL CHAIR, ADAMS MAHAMA

Why is the trial of Gregory Afoko dragging on all this while? Why is it difficult to arrest his so-called co-accomplice, wherever he may be? Was Adams Mahama murdered at all?

ii. MURDER OF NPP MP FOR ABUAKWA SOUTH (J.B. DANQUAH)

The main suspect has been released from custody and is breathing an air of freedom while the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney-General’s Department continues to annoy us that it will ensure a fair trial. Was J.B. Danquah murdered at all?

ii. MURDER OF ARMY CAPTAIN MAXWELL MAHAMA
All the hot air blown following the heinous murder of Capt. Mahama is fast fizzling out. The trial is moving at a snail’s pace as if no one in authority considers that crime as disturbing enough for it to be dealt with expeditiously. We all saw the video clips and read news reports about culprits arrested. The A-G’s Department has prepared the dockets and put together the necessary hordes of evidence for the perpetrators to be tried. Why is it difficult for such a terrible crime to be dealt with? Was Capt. Mahama murdered at all?

iii. TRIAL OF EX-GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN THE SADA/GYEEDA SCANDAL

This trial is still not completed. Why is it so? And Akufo-Addo is dreaming of arraigning others for trial? Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaa!!

iv. TRIAL OF THE NPP’S DELTA FORCE HOODLUMS
The A-G’s Department and its “nolle prosequi” mantra has done more harm than good to this case. All the noise about the matter being dealt with is a mere hoax.

v. THE IBRAHIM MAHAMA AND WONTUMI CASE
Nothing conclusive has so far been done in this case too. Why so?

MY LEGITIMATE CONCERNS
Folks, I still regard our Judiciary as the worst of state institutions in our democratic experiment. It is either too weak or just not well-cut-out to help grow our democracy. One would have thought that the NPP government that boasts of “interrectuals” as its foundation (especially with lawyers in the majority) would have initiated corrective moves to strengthen the arm of the Judiciary.

One would also continue to wonder why with Akufo-Addo (someone claiming to be a lawyer who practised law in Ghana for 40 years before becoming the President of the country) wouldn’t consider strengthening the Judiciary as a major priority.

His appointment of the Minister of Justice and A-G with numerous deputies as well as the Chief Justice might have created a false impression. Nothing has changed positively to enhance the work of the Judiciary.

Bringing in an Office of Special (so-called Independent) Prosecutor is a mere mouth-wash. It is a wash-out, to begin with. Until the judicial arm of government is retooled and strengthened, no cosmetic measure coming from Akufo-Addo will solve the problems that continue to make the Judiciary a ridiculous nuisance in our democracy.

Indeed, the more conditions are created for the cases to drag on at the courts, the more bearded Billy goats, tubers of yam, sacks of fresh and smoked snail, massages at parlours, and others await the judges. What a farce!!

I shall return…

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