As I saw the ushers, I screamed to myself, “oh! Not again, not again!” I was praying so hard that our learned Justices were not going to go on recess after sitting for ONLY TWO HOURS FIFTEEN MINUTES” Yes, you heard me. “Onlly two hours fifteen minutes” of work against a backdrop of a glacial paced, energy conserving trial. The hard truth is that our learned Justices started work at 10:00am and at exactly 12:15pm, they adjourned proceeding till 1: 15pm. As I anxiously waited for them to resume sitting, I kept praying that our Justices would sit well beyond 4:00pm because of the urgency attached to this sensitive but show-stopping trial. I was sorely disappointed because around 5:00pm, they called it a day. What really irked me was the manner they rushed Mr. Tony Lithur to conclude his cross-examination of Dr. Bawumia.

What is my beef? I think that as a people, we must be very concerned about the work ethics of our justices on this important national matter. Personally, I do not see any urgency on the part of our respected justices to expeditiously dispose of this case. Since the trial started, they have come to work at 10:00am and closed at 4:00pm with the exception of today when they closed at 5:00pm after spending over an hour coming down with a ruling on a simple legal matter.

Let’s break down their work schedule as of today:

A. They start work at 10:00am. B. They take their lunch break at 12:15pm. C. Resume sitting after one hour AND D. Close at 4:00pm.

So technically our highly respected justices have been working for SIX HOURS a day since this national case started. Of course, this includes their ONE HOUR lunch break. At this rate, I have been wondering when they are going to dispose of this case to enable this nation to concentrate its energies to solving its hydra-headed problems. No matter what anybody says, this case is holding the nation to ransom. The legitimacy of our government is being questioned. There is a constitutional cloud hanging over the head of the whole nation and it is the utmost responsibility of our law lords to remove it so that the REAL business of the nation can take shape. We therefore expect the Supreme Court to clear this case in a swift, judicious manner. At the pace that this case is traveling, does anybody see how the Supreme Court is going to achieve laudable goal?

I am particularly scandalized by the work ethics of our justices vis-à-vis the historic and delicate nature of this case. This is one case they should dispose of as judiciously, efficiently and swiftly as possible. In essence, they should not be seen to be betraying the letter and spirit of C.L. 74 – a law they themselves put together to govern any such trial. There is an imposing duty on our justices by way of Section 69(C)(4) and (5) of C.L. 74 to conduct an “expeditious” trial with the edict that “THE COURT SHALL SIT FROM DAY TO DAY INCLUDING SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS”. And sitting “from day to day” does not mean, sitting for only 6 hours including a one-hour lunch break and not sitting on Saturdays and Sundays. As highly privileged men and women who enjoy the best that our society can afford, we expect nothing short from them than strict compliance with the mandates set down by C.L.74.

Let’s be honest with ourselves for once: These are highly learned, experienced men and women who have chauffeur driven cars at their disposal, guarded 24 x 7, well-accommodated – probably unaffected by water and electricity problems etc. Personally, I do not understand why our law lords with all these facilities at their disposal should technically work for only FIVE HOURS a day on this landmark constitutional case. This is one case we must hold our justice to the highest ethical standards. This is no normal case. This is a special case and must be treated as such.

Anybody who travels the forlorn streets of Accra knows the physical and mental torture great majority of our people go through every single day to make life worth living for. I know of this girl in Asylum Down in Accra who sells food. She wakes up at 3am every day except Sundays to travel from Pokuase to Accra to start work. She works until 9:00pm before heading back to Pokuase. The saddest part of her story is that after every hard day’s work, she walks from Asylum Down to Circle to catch a “tro-tro”. She gets home around 11:30pm depending on availability of transport and traffic. She then takes her shower and immediately goes to bed with the hope of catching some sleep. Sadly enough, she always has to contend with mosquitoes. This afternoon while there to get my lunch, I saw that she was not her happy self. I asked why and she told me she was down with malaria. I asked her why she had not gone to see a doctor. She told me she could not go to the hospital because she does not only have the money to foot that bill. Importantly, she informed me that she needs some money to give to her little sister who is in school outside Accra. When I called around 7:00pm, she was still working!!!!!

The point here is that if less privileged, unconnected and marginalized citizens of the land who have NEVER seen the inside of Golden Tulip much more have breakfast, lunch or dinner there can work that hard to put food on the table, our super privileged justices MUST dispose of this case swiftly, efficiently and judiciously and in record time.

In the face of the imposing mandates of C.I. 74, I, Kwadwo Cristo, formerly of Ash Town, Kumasi, but now permanently resident in Accra, hereby demand that our justices attach a great deal of urgency to this time-sensitive case and many more before them as a pay back to the society that continues to shower than with super privileges.

I rest my case for now.

KWADWO CRISTO – ACCRA.

KWADOWCRISTO@GMAIL.COM