By Ewoenam Kpodo, GNA
Ho, March 05, GNA – Mrs Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, Justice of the Court of Appeal has said Justice for All Programme (JFAP) has evolved beyond a solution to overcrowding, becoming a powerful symbol of Ghana’s dedication to justice, human rights, and the rule of law.
Justice Asare-Botwe was speaking at the in-prison JFAP court sitting held in Ho Central Prison where 19 pre-trial cases were presented and out of that, 12 bail applications were granted, one pre-trial prisoner was discharged, three persons were referred for psychiatric treatment and three convictions were secured.
“The JFAP has proven to be more than a response to overcrowding. It has become a symbol of Ghana’s commitment to upholding the rule of law, safeguarding human rights, and ensuring that justice is not delayed or denied. By facilitating timely hearings for remand prisoners, the programme has reduced unnecessary detention, strengthened public confidence in the justice system, and contributed to prison decongestion.”
She cited Article 14(4) of Ghana’s Constitution as having guaranteed release for those not tried within a “reasonable time,” but unclear definitions and institutional hurdles had led to prolonged remand period, sometimes exceeding maximum sentences for the offence in question.
Justice Asare-Botwe said, the JFAP, launched in 2007 had worked to address these issues and improved outcomes for accused persons, saying, at its inception, the total prisoner population was 13,800, out of which 4,218 were remands or pre-trial inmates, constituting 30.57 percent of the total prisoner population, thus, substantially contributing to the then acute overcrowding in the prisons.
She said data from the Ghana Prisons Service Records Units as of Monday, March 2, 2026, indicated that the total inmate population was 13,620, comprising 1,745 (12.81 percent) remands and 11,875 (87.19 percent) convicts and that the programme these 19 years had impacted on the remand population in the prisons, bringing it down from 30.57 to 12.81 percent currently.
Justice Asare-Botwe attributed the success to the capacity building and collaborative efforts of the Judiciary, Office of the Attorney General, and Legal Aid Commission noting, “there is still room for investment.”
She encouraged lawyers to offer pro bono services while urging stakeholders to help address challenges within Ghana’s criminal justice system reminding that “justice is the cornerstone of peace and development.”
Justice Asare-Botwe called for support for JFAP saying, the initiative was about people, families and communities impacted by fairness and equity, building a justice system for all especially the vulnerable and asked state actors specially investigators and the prosecution to handle cases diligently, remembering “accused persons are people too.”
The JFAP is a state-led intervention established in 2007 to reduce prison overcrowding and protect the rights of remand prisoners by setting up mobile in-prison courts to adjudicate remand/pre-trial prisoner cases throughout the country and enjoys the collective efforts of the Judicial Service of Ghana, the Office of the Attorney-General, the Ghana Prisons and Police Service among others.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Linda Asante Agyei
