An Appeal Court judge, Mr Justice Dominic D. Adjei, has called for court staff members whose conducts cause needless adjournment of cases to be punished.
He said it was time judges awarded cost against bailiffs, clerks and registrars to compensate the party which had spent a reasonable amount as filing fees or on hearing notice.
“These collaborators will sit up and work when they get to know that the judges will not pamper them and any careless act of theirs will attract appropriate costs,” he said.
Speaking at the swearing-in of 11 circuit court judges and 11 district magistrate court judges in Accra, Justice Adjei said: “Litigation has become relatively expensive nowadays and we should help litigants by giving them effective justice that will avoid delays and unnecessary expense.”
Judges The judges were sworn in by the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood, who administered the oath of allegiance, judicial oath and oath of secrecy to them.
The circuit court judges are Mr Kofi Amoako Osei, Mr Frank Yao Gbeddy, Mr Matthew Kyeremanteng, Ms Joan Eyi King, Ms Comfort Kwasiwor Tasiame and Mrs Ruby Naa Adjetey Qaison.
The rest are Mr Francis A. Obuajo, Mr Emmanuel Abednego Opare, Mr Prosper Duelove Gomashie and Mr Samuel Owetey Ansah.
The magistrate court judges are Mr Alexander Oworae, Mr Richard Delali Anku, Mr Ebenezer Kweku Ansah, Mr Sylvester Nii Okine Ablorh and Mr Joshua Caleb Abaidoo.
The others are Mr Stephen Owusu, Mr Stephen Kumi, Mr Adams Abass Abubakari, Ms Gloria Naa Bortor Laryea, Ms Sedinam Awo Balokah and Mr Felix Datsomor.
You are accountable Justice Adjei said research had revealed that most cases were adjourned due to the lack of service or failure of proof of service.
He stated that where a process had been served and the bailiff or the private process server had failed to prove service or the docket clerk and the registrar had failed to place the process on the docket, “the person who caused the adjournment should be punished.”
The Appeal Court judge said judges and magistrates were accountable to the public and the communities they served, adding that they were judged by their performance, attitude to work and personal integrity.
“The judiciary assesses the performance of its members through their judgements, attendance to work, punctuality, competence and the reports from the stakeholders such as the bar,” he said.
Aim at reforming He stated that judges were supposed to be strategic decision-makers and should effectively manage their courts to ensure that cases were heard expeditiously to avoid delays and expense on the part of litigants.
A judge, he said, who failed to manage his or her court well was likely to make litigation an unproductive venture, adding that “We should manage our courts to make litigation beneficial to people who come to seek justice.
He stated that the orthodox aims of criminal punishments which were mainly retribution and deterrent had now shifted to reformation.
“You should be seen as imposing appropriate sentences by conducting proper pre-sentencing hearing that should aim at reforming those ones who have not become hardened and are not a threat to society,” Justice Adjei said.
<<Print>>