General News of Monday, 20 November 2017
Source: classfmonline.com
2017-11-20
Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II
The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has bemoaned the degree of unfair justice delivery in the country.
“If someone steals a goat and is fined GHS5,000, and additionally slapped with a jail term, how can people who invaded a courtroom, overpower the security, release suspects, and put the life of the judge and staff in danger be fined only GHS1,800 and discharged,” he questioned.
“Has justice been served? And if even it has been served, the question maybe asked, whether quality justice was served. Quality justice for whom?” the Asantehene quizzed Judges at the annual Chief Justice’s forum held in Kumasi on Monday, November 20, 2017.
Speaking on the theme: “Quality Judges, delivering quality justice”, he indicated that, if such judgments come from the courts, it will be difficult to prevent people from questioning the quality of justice delivered by the judges.
Otumfuo, was making reference to the members of pro-government vigilante group, Delta Force, who stormed the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) circuit court and released their members who were standing trial for chasing out the Ashanti regional security coordinator from his office.
“Unfortunately for you, it takes only one case or few cases for the quality justice that you profess to deliver to be thrown into the wind. As you are all aware, the case under reference took place in this capital [Kumasi] where this year’s forum is taking place and cannot be ignored,” he said.
The Asantehene further noted that “We are at the receiving end for whom, justice is intended to serve. It is the standard of the beneficiaries of justice that the quality is measured. Whether what the judge does in his justice delivery functions is qualitative or not is determined by us, the beneficiaries.”
Otumfuo said it was his expectation that the judges will devote time to develop bench marks for the bench and whatever bench marks they develop should largely take into account the responsiveness of their functions to the needs, requirements, and expectations of the consumers who are people of the country and the court users.
“To ignore us, is failure to deliver justice because you cannot judge yourselves. Whatever benchmarks you establish in pursuit of quality justice, prominence should be given to expedition and disposable of cases for ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’, he said.
He expressed hope that by the end of the forum, the exact ramifications of quality justice will be more meaningful “so that, we can all be witnesses to the realisation of the theme of “quality judges delivering quality judgments”.
