Report corrupt court employees, the Chief Justice implores the public.

The public has been warned not to bribe court employees who demand money ostensibly on behalf of judges in exchange for favorable rulings by Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.

She claimed that frequently, judges did not request or receive this money; instead, shady court employees used it as a ruse to profit themselves.

As a result, Justice Torkornoo advised the general public to report to the Judicial Service any court personnel who would ask for money while claiming to be a judge.

Event

She made the appeal during two different Chief Justice Community Sensitization Programs, both in the Eastern Region, at Akwatia in the Demkyembour District, and Kraboa Coaltar in the Ayensuono District.

Justice Torkornoo’s initiative is a program in which she engages the general people in local areas to discuss the role of the judiciary and fundamental legal concepts.

Its goal is to demystify the judiciary’s operations and provide the general public with greater knowledge and respect for the judiciary as the third branch of government.

Justice Torkornoo stated that the Judicial Service’s ability to stop the vile and unpatriotic activities of court officials who created a market for stealing money from court users under the guise of giving it to judges would be aided by the public’s cooperation in reporting cases of bribery, as requested by court staff.

“Any court clerk, interpreter, recorder, registrar, or other staff member who requests payment from a judge is a thief.

The majority of the time, the judges haven’t actually asked for any payment; it doesn’t come to them, and they aren’t even aware of it.

“Report such employees to the Judicial Service and the police.

We will look into it, and if they are at fault, I will fire them and make sure they are dealt with swiftly.

We are resolved to eradicate this negative culture that is tarnishing the reputation of the judiciary, she said.

Public Grievances

The Chief Justice said that it was illegal and against the standards of the Judicial Service for court employees to request payment before carrying out their tasks, which were intended to improve the delivery of justice to the general public.

Bring those individuals to our attention, and I won’t think twice about dismissing them while simultaneously subjecting them to the full force of the law, she said.

She claimed that the Judicial Service was ready to hear concerns about its employees and take appropriate action.

“All courts now have public complaints units under the newly redesigned Public Complaints Directorate.

Every day, my office receives and processes petitions.

We respond to every petition that comes across my desk every day—at least ten of them.

“Let us know if you are unhappy with the work of a registrar, clerk, judge, or any other court staff, and we will take care of it,” she stated.

Measures

The Chief Justice indicated that the Judicial Service will soon release court user guides that clarify the jurisdictions of the various courts as part of efforts to make the public aware of the work of the Judiciary.

She explained that the guides will be made available at all courthouses so that the general people could access them and learn in plain English what a certain court could do.

She added that in order to promote transparency and prevent employees from asking for more than is reasonable, the Judicial Service would also put on court property the rates for the various services it offered.

“Let’s give the courts a chance to help us.

We must band together to eliminate all the snags that annoy people with the legal system.

We will all live in peace and prosperity when the judiciary prevails, the Chief Justice continued.

The Chief Justice will respond to questions from participants as part of the sensitization program about the work of the judiciary and will outline the initiatives the Judicial Service is putting in place to increase access to justice, transparency, and fairness in the administration of justice.

The overarching goal of the sensitization program, which is focused on the theme “Improving Justice Delivery through Community Engagement,” is to inform the public and boost confidence in the judicial system.

When the Chief Justice travels to towns and villages for important occasions like the dedication of new courthouses and judicial infrastructure, she typically participates in sensitization programs.

The initiative has so far been run in six communities: New Abirem, Akwatia, and Kraboa Coaltar in the Eastern Region, and Baastonaa, Ada, and Kwabenya in the Greater Accra Region.

ADR

The Chief Justice at Akwatia and Kraboa Coaltar spoke extensively about the need for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in settling disputes and lawsuits amicably.

Justice Torkornoo urged litigants to utilize the courts associated with the ADR system to settle their problems, calling it a quicker and less time-consuming method.

She claimed, not only expedited the procedure but also made sure that the parties’ relationships didn’t completely degrade as a result of the dispute.

According to her, “ADR is private, it’s your own solution, and it helps to preserve relationships that would otherwise become strained during laborious litigation in the normal court setting.”

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