Don't Bribe Judicial Staff - Chief Justice Urges Public

By Lawrence Vomafa-Akpalu

The Chief Justice, Justice Sophia A.B.Akuffo, has urged the public to stand firm and refuse to give bribes to any Judicial Service staff in the discharge of their duties.

According to her, the staff of the Judicial Service are paid and any illegal money paid to any staff was a "bribe, and the giver and the taker are both criminals".

The Chief Justice said this on Friday, at Dodowa in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region when the Assembly handed over the refurbished magistrate court to the Judicial Service.

The refurbishment follows a directive from the Chief Justice to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), whose courts have become deaths traps to either demolish or refurbish the structures or risk having the services of the Judicial Service withdrawn from the area.

Though no time frame was given to the assemblies, the Shai Osudoku District Assembly in a record time of six months became the first assembly to successfully execute the CJ's directive.

The court complex was renovated at a cost of GH¢190,000 with sitting capacity of more than 200.

It is also fitted with a solar panel to ensure regular power supply.

The CJ indicated that staff of the service must be agents of comfort to clients who may come to the court with physical or emotional stress, saying that harassment in any form, such as threats and extortion of money would not be accepted.

"As staff of the Judicial Service, it was important, not to engage in activities that tarnished the name and image of the judiciary and the Judicial Service, because the slightest breach would be met with stringiest disciplinary measures," she added.

Ms Akuffo urged the public not to hesitate to report such people for appropriate disciplinary action to be taken against them adding that "the Judicial Council would not shield any judicial official or staff found guilty of misconduct.

Justice Akuffo said an efficient and viable judiciary was one of the key requisites for any thriving democracy therefore delays in securing justice would inevitably affect confidence in the judicial process with all attendant negative effects.

Justice Akuffo warned assemblies that have not complied with her directive to do so or have themselves to blame adding "I have not forgotten."

"Courts are national assets, the Judicial Service shall no longer accept pavillions, a court must not be any type of building but a place that can boost the confidence of the people," she added.

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo said the area owed the CJ a lot of gratitude and charged the assembly to ensure that the premises was used for its intended purpose.

The District Chief Executive, Mr Daniel Akuffo said plans were far advanced to provide the magistrate with a decent accommodation and appealed to the Judicial Service to give the assembly a day in its proceedings to prosecute sanitation cases.

He urged the judicial service to adopt a strict maintenance culture to ensure the lifespan of the facility.

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