Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has chastised public sector workers who are also serving as jurors and delayed justice delivery with their strike action over the nonpayment of their allowance.
According to the head of Ghana’s Judiciary, such persons who are being paid from the public coffers shouldn’t have gone on strike over unpaid allowances which is a top-up of their revenue from government aside from what they receive for their monthly salaries.
Jurors in Ghana’s justice system determine whether an accused person is guilty of an offence he or she has been charged with, based on the evidence presented in court, while the judge passes a sentence based on the verdict of the jury.
The jury system is employed in Ghana for offences that are tried on indictment. Such offences include capital offences such as murder and first-degree felonies such as rape, manslaughter and narcotics.
Jurors in Ghana are composed of seven individuals randomly selected from a list composed mainly, if not exclusively, of civil servants.
The jurors have been on strike since 2022 following the nonpayment of their allowances.
Addressing their concerns Friday, November 17, 2023, the Chief Justice said those who work in the public service should have been considerate with their action when their allowances were not coming.
“For those of you who work in the public sector, you’re receiving your salaries. Ghana is paying you for whichever institution you’re working then Ghana will give you more money for coming here, and you say you won’t come here because your allowance has delayed? I put it to you that this is not fair. We should do some balancing and be fair to our nation.
“Think of the remand prisoners. Think of the cost in bringing people to court. Think of those who are on bail, the trauma of having to keep coming to court. Think of all these people. So, come back to work tomorrow,” she said.
The jurors have meanwhile called off their strike after Justice Torkornoo’s engagement with them.
The Chief Justice, during her encounter with the jurors at the Court of Appeal complex in Kumasi, said “whilst it is not unusual for allowances in public service to come late, we will take steps to do whatever we need to do to make sure that we don’t allow it to come later.”
Foreman General of the jurors in Ashanti region, Albert Ackah told the media after the engagement that “we have agreed to resume our services. We are excited with her resolve to ensure our allowances are paid on time. This was what we were expecting long ago. For travelling all the way to Kumasi to engage us, that alone is a relief. So on Monday, we are coming to court,” he assured.
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