Immunity for judges to be scrutinized

Judicial immunity is not absolute, according to the Chief Justice, and will, from hence, be put in proper context.

This will be part of a process “of rebuilding the broken walls” of the judiciary.

Speaking at the opening of the 8th Annual Chief Justice’s Forum in Accra on Monday, October 19, Her Ladyship Georgina Theodora Wood said frantic steps have been taken by the Judicial Council to re-examine the very foundations of the judiciary.

“We need to re-examine our vision and mission statement, strategic plan [and] code of conduct,” she told the judges, magistrates and judicial staff, who will have a plenary session to discuss measures to forestall alleged misbehavior within their fold during the Forum.

The Forum comes at a time the judiciary is battling with allegations of corruption after investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas screened a movie which shows some judges and magistrates as well as judicial staff in bribery deals.

“This is a fresh breath this timely forum offers,” Mrs Wood observed, “an opportunity to examine the entire spectrum of justice administration from issues of recruitment [to] retention of the right calibre of qualified persons with demonstrable integrity.”

She said the introspection will begin from Ground Zero.

“We must posit judicial immunity in its proper context and not take it for granted or wallow in the ignorant belief that it is absolute for all practical intents and purposes. It is not.”