Attorney General's Department blamed for delays

Asamankese (E/R), Sept 29, GNA - A circuit court judge has blamed the Attorney - General's Department for delays in dispensing justice at the courts. Dockets sent to the Attorney General's office for advice delay so much that the trial of suspects take so long, making the speedy disposal of such cases by the courts impossible.

Mr S. S. Appiah, the Asamankese Circuit Court Judge, therefore, called for the speedy handling of dockets referred for advice to ensure speedy disposal of pending murder or narcotics cases.

He expressed this concern when Addo Moses, who has been in prison custody for four years for allegedly murdering his friend, was arraigned on Monday.

When Mr Appiah asked the prosecutor, Chief Inspector John Boateng, if the fiat on the case of Addo had been received, he replied in the negative, which prompted Mr Appiah's remarks.

He noted that some serious cases such as murder, manslaughter and narcotic offences may require a "fiat" from the Attorney-General's Department before suspects are prosecuted. "If the Attorney General's department fails to release the 'fiat', there is nothing the prosecution can do". Mr Appiah said delays in such cases could not be blamed on the courts. Sometimes, it takes years to receive the Attorney General's fiat even for straightforward cases like possession of narcotic drugs.

The prosecution told the court that Addo was said to have learnt from an oracle that his close friend was flirting with his wife. Addo, therefore, sharpened his cutlass and in the night went to his friend's house, knocked at the door and allegedly butchered him to death on opening the door.

The court was told that due to the inaction of the Attorney-General's Department, Addo was granted bail but he could not get anybody to stand surety for him and, therefore, had to be remanded in prison custody.

Mr Appiah remarked that people should exercise restraint and not do acts that will land them into trouble as a result of what jujumen tell them, adding that Addo had not seen his wife for four years. The court burst into laughter when Chief Inspector Boateng, responded, "the woman is already married to another man".