Court cases delayed by inadequate resources

Sunyani (B/A), Sept. 16, GNA - A chief State Attorney on Monday said the mode of trial at the courts, coupled with lack of adequate personnel and logistics at the Attorney General's (A-G's) Department, were the causes of delays in the country's justice system.

Mr. Cab Beyuo of the A-G's Department in Sunyani, said police investigations on indictment, referral of dockets for advice, and deliberations at the court after one's committal were some of the procedures a criminal case had to go through.

He was delivering a lecture at the 10th Anniversary celebration of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) organized by the district Office of the Commission at Sunyani. The one-week celebration was under the theme: "Ten Years of CHRAJ Achievements, Prospects and Challenges".

Mr Beyuo, who was speaking on, "The Role of the Attorney General's Department in the administration of Justice", held that until the system was reviewed, the public should not blame the A-G's Department for delays in the administration of justice.

He appealed to defence lawyers to limit their applications for adjournments on cases before the courts, saying, frequent adjournments also delayed the completion of cases, thereby depriving remanded suspects of their legal rights.

Mr Beyuo cited a criminal case pending before the court at Wa, saying, it had been pending for about ten years.

He suggested that the criminal procedures should be amended and that accused persons who plead guilty should be convicted straight away instead of remanding them to re-appear another date.

Mr Kwasi Boakye, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of CHRAJ, appealed to legal practitioners, assembly members, and religious and traditional leaders to assist his outfit in its investigation into complaints brought before it.

In its national first-quarter annual report in 1994, CHRAJ recorded 3,197 complaints, 9,265 in 2000 and increased to 10,538 in 2001. In Brong-Ahafo, 3,033 complaints were received last year with Sunyani district recording 505 cases.

Mr Boakye said between January and June this year, the Sunyani district received a total 322 complaints with many of them bordering on the abuse of office and non-maintenance of children. The others were child custody, Intestate succession, tenancy, harassment and deprivation of education.

Out of the number of complaints recorded in the first six months this year in the Sunyani District, 226 of them had been disposed off. 16 Sept. 03