Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu has argued that discussions within legal and investigative circles in early 2025 indicated confusion over whether a suspect must physically appear in court before such proceedings could begin.
According to him, some actors initially insisted that trial in absentia could not proceed unless the accused had physically appeared in court and later absconded.
He described this position as inconsistent with established legal principles, saying the constitution and criminal procedure rules do not strictly require physical appearance before proceedings can continue if proper notice has been served.
Kpebu further claimed that delays in activating trial processes may have created room for legal and procedural developments that now complicate the case.
He argued that such delays could affect the speed and effectiveness of accountability processes.
He also pointed to the legal framework governing international suspects, noting that once a person becomes a permanent resident in another jurisdiction, extradition and prosecution dynamics become more complex in practice, even if not impossible.
Kpebu maintained that international legal cooperation remains key, but stressed that Ghana must act decisively within its legal timelines to avoid weakening its position.
By Christabel Success Treve
