Lawyers, others kick against Saturday court

Accra, April 4 GNA - Even before the newly introduced Saturday Court by the Chief Justice (CJ) to handle special cases including juvenile, family and defilement cases holds its first sitting, many lawyers, prosecutors and staff of the Judicial Service are strongly kicking against it.

They said the Saturday court was not the solution to clearing the backlog of case in the courts. What was required was proper time management and proper allocation of cases, among judges.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, Mr Dometi Kofi Sopkor, a legal practitioner and member of the Greater Accra Bar Association (GABA), said the group was against the introduction of Saturday Court because it was not the solution to problems facing the courts.

He said as far as GABA was concerned enough consultations had not been made on the matter and that they would not have anything to do with the process.

He said the group only saw the directives, which were issued by the CJ telling the various courts what to do but they had not been consulted on the matter.

Mr Bruce Nii Acquaye Thompson, a legal practitioners and member of GABA, said many lawyers in Ghana, in recent times, were dying from stress related illnesses as result of their huge workload and pressure. He said many lawyers, in order to prepare adequately for court had to wake up around 0300 hours, research, go through their files and write their addresses for their cases before appearing in court in the morning.

Nii Thompson said the lawyer's job did not end at the courtroom but even after the court sittings as they had to meet clients for consultations until about 2300 hours.

"Sometimes we have to work throughout the week without having time for our families. Saturdays and Sundays are the only days that we can have for ourselves and our families," he added.

Nii Thompson also said the Saturday court would affect those of them who were Seventh-Day Adventists, as they would not be able to attend court on that day.

Mr Johnson K. Ampofo, a staff of the Judicial Service, said he was against the introduction of the Saturday court.

He said as a family man, Saturdays were the only days that he usually attended family meetings and activities in his hometown. The Judicial Service has said all is set for some selected courts to commence sittings on Saturdays.

Mr Addo Dankwa Kwapong, Director of Communications, Judicial Service, told the Ghana News Agency on Thursday that, Judges, Magistrates and other staff were ready to commence work on April 5. Court sittings on Saturdays was introduced during the colonial days but was phased out gradually.

The Chief Justice, Mrs Justice Georgina Theodora Wood initiated the Weekend Courts to deal with specific cases such as domestic violence and revenue claims of state agencies, including the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).

Mr Kwapong said the Judicial Service had also served notice to all revenue agencies about the weekend sittings. He said the court would operate from the premises of the District and Juvenile Court, near the Ministries, from 0900 to 1400 hours. A press release issued by Mrs Regina A. Apotsi, Judicial Secretary said: "The Saturday courts will be extended to other areas in the country in due course."