Guard your independence from external pressures

The acting Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has called on magistrates and judges to fiercely guard their independence from external pressures, be it political, commercial or social, in handling cases related to illegal mining, drug trafficking and abuse. 

Speaking at this year’s annual general meeting of the Association of Magistrates and Judges in Accra yesterday, he said although members of the judiciary were not policymakers or wielded enforcement powers of the executive, judges and magistrates were the guardians of justice, custodians of the law, and interpreters of the nation’s conscience.

“We must ensure that prosecutions related to illegal mining and drug trafficking, and abuse are handled with seriousness, impartially, and with urgency. And I mean urgency.

“Where there is evidence, the law must be applied without fear or favour. No person, and I mean no person, regardless of their political affiliation or social status, should be immune from justice,” he said.

The two-day conference is on the theme: “Leveraging technology to enhance justice delivery”.

Among issues being deliberated on are challenges and opportunities that confront judges as stewards of justice. Members of the association would also elect new leaders.

Harmonisation

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie also urged the bench to work towards harmonising sentencing practices to ensure propriety, deterrence and fairness, adding “we must fiercely guard our independence from external pressures, be they political, commercial or social.

“The fight against illegal mining and drug abuse cannot be won by the judiciary alone, but it cannot be won without us either. Let us not underestimate the ripple effect of our judgments, our diligence and our courage. Every ruling grounded in justice strengthens the foundation of a law-abiding society,” he said.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said the destruction of arable land and contamination of the country’s water bodies had directly impacted agricultural productivity, leading to low food production, food price hikes, as well as the health of the people in affected communities.

An estimated 4,726 hectares of land had been destroyed in 34 out of the 288 forest reserves in seven regions.

Drug abuse

On drug abuse, the acting Chief Justice made reference to a study which concluded that there was a relatively high substance use among adolescents, with a prevalence of 12.3 per cent.

It further revealed that 56.9 per cent of adolescents in the country abuse alcohol, while 36.4 per cent abuse cigarettes.

He announced plans to collaborate with relevant authorities to refine specialised courts created during former Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood’s tenure and create or designate more courts to deal with the increasing number of gun violence, environmental degradation, and drug-related cases.

Commitment

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, said the government was committed to modernising the judiciary to enhance efficiency through technology.

He commended the leadership of the association for embracing technology in justice delivery.

Dr Ayine said prolonged adjournments and case backlogs eroded public confidence and, therefore, called for the expeditious handling of judicial matters.

He, however, cautioned that while technology offered significant benefits, it must be used responsibly.

“Judges must be open to new methods, lawyers must adapt their practices, and the state must ensure adequate resources are made available,” Dr Ayini added.

Challenges

The President of the association, Justice Henry Anthony Kwofi, said the effective use of technology would streamline court processes, reduce paperwork, and improve efficiency, ultimately leading to faster case resolutions and enhanced public satisfaction.

Reflecting on the challenges faced by the judiciary, Justice Kwofi expressed concern over inadequate resources and support for judges.

He mentioned issues such as unpaid allowances, lack of vehicles, and insufficient medical support, which were “making the work of judges extremely difficult”.