Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has indicated that the judicial service will revert to the opening and closure of court sittings, which ensured that jurors remained with the courts for only a short season.
She said the current situation, where jurors stay with the courts for a long time, is not the best for effective justice delivery.
The Chief Justice made these remarks at the launch of her vision for the judiciary in Accra, today, Monday, April 8, dubbed: “LEADing Justice.”
According to Justice Torkornoo “steps are being taken to revert to the opening and closure of assizes, which ensured that jurors remained with the judiciary for only a short season.”
“The current situation where one juror can be attached to the courts for years, leaving their full-time work for long periods, and earning from both institutions through the same public purse, needs to be seriously deconstructed.”
She noted that the judiciary “contemplates” securing the services of a private sector jury to ensure the success of the initiative.
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“In order to do so effectively, this vision contemplates the engagement of the private sector in jury services, as is the situation in virtually every country.”
In this regard, Justice Torkornoo asked for the “cooperation of the private sector” in implementing the strategies, adding, “because we need to increase the ethical contents of integrity and efficiency in criminal justice delivery.”
She further maintained that the initiative is geared towards eradicating unethical attitudes in the administration of justice in the country.
“Judicial administration must close the gaps through which court users are subjected to exploitation and rent-seeking behaviour.”
“This demands the removal of as much of the human inter-facing that court work is exposed to. Court officials are expected to work with independence, with impartiality, competence, and integrity,” she stated.
LEAD in the Strategic Framework, christened ‘LEADing Justice’, is an acronym for Law, Ethics, Assets, Due Process and Digitalisation.
Chief Justice Torkornoo also called for support and partnership with stakeholders to achieve the vision of “producing culture-changing re-orientation programmes.”.