Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, has introduced significant reforms aimed at enhancing the efficiency of Ghana’s jury system as the 2025 criminal assizes kick off nationwide.
During the opening ceremony held at the Law Complex in Accra, the Chief Justice disclosed that the pool of eligible jurors has been expanded to encompass a broader spectrum of Ghanaians, with a particular focus on individuals from the private sector.
She remarked, “Over time, it has been observed that the justice sector has predominantly drawn jurors from a limited group. This group has primarily consisted of clerical staff in civil or public service organizations, and occasionally, individuals from the education sector.”
Highlighting the drawbacks of this practice, she noted that some jurors had served in multiple trials spanning several years, essentially transforming them into “pseudo-professional jurors, rather than the lay group with fresh legal exposure that is essential.”
The Judiciary’s reforms aim to include all citizens who meet the legal requirements.
“Jury lists have been expanded to include all citizens qualified by law, encompassing a significant number of individuals from the private sector,” the Chief Justice affirmed.
She referenced Section 208 of Act 30, which disqualifies individuals convicted of treason, felony, or dishonesty-related offences from serving as jurors unless granted a free pardon. Additionally, she raised concerns regarding the annual revision of juror lists under Section 213 of Act 30, deeming the process insufficiently thorough.
To tackle these challenges, she stated, “After extensive deliberations, a team assisted me in proposing solutions and reforms to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our jury system.” She added that the team engaged in consultations with the media and stakeholders to garner widespread support.
As part of the administrative measures supporting the new criminal assizes, the Chief Justice instructed all presiding judges and high court registrars to prevent jurors from being listed in multiple courts.
“It is imperative that no juror is listed in more than one court under any circumstances, thereby eliminating the possibility of jurors being involved in cases pending across multiple courts,” she emphasized.
She also issued directives for expediting trials. “Trials should be conducted continuously from day to day, ensuring that courts in the criminal sessions can resolve one case from inception to conclusion within a few days before commencing the next hearing,” she added.
The Chief Justice expressed confidence that these reforms would optimize jurors’ time utilization and expedite the delivery of justice. “The time for change has arrived, commencing from today’s commencement of the criminal session, which will occur in all regions of Ghana, facilitating trials on indictments,” she declared.
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