Jones Dotse is a justice of the Supreme Court
A justice of the Supreme Court judge, Jones Dotse, has pointed out that the lack of convictions in the cases against culprits caught in the act of illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) is a result of weak cases brought by the prosecution team to warrant a conviction from the bench.
He said if the prosecution is good in building an evidence-proof case against the culprits then convictions will be sustained for the state to serve as the right deterrence for the canker.
Justice Dotse said the laws are there and the judiciary can assist in implementing the law very strictly, in view of the dangers posed by the galamsey and its operators. He affirmed the Chief Justice’s earlier call that the judiciary will help in ensuring that the crusade against galamsey succeeds in the country.
He was speaking to TV3 on Friday, June 11, on the back of the comments by the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah that the judiciary will help in ensuring that the fight against illegal small-scale mining or galamsey succeeds.
“I think he was right on point because the laws are there and the judiciary can only assist by implementing the laws very strictly and we have all realized the dangers posed by galamsey operators. So the CJ was right on point when he said that the judiciary is prepared in ensuring that the fight against galamsey succeeds, that is what I can say about it” he said.
Justice Dotse added “let me make this point, that law is made and if people are arrested, investigations are carried out, when investigations are carried out, prosecutions are done in the law courts. And the courts only base their judgements on decisions led in court so if the prosecution is good, convictions will be sustained. But if the prosecution is bad, the courts will have no option but to acquit the culprits”.
On the subject of the tree planting exercise initiated by the government, Justice Dotse said “I think it’s a laudable idea that can sustain the environment if we sustain it. That is the reason why we all embrace it”.