The Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, has announced a significant overhaul of the country’s jury system, during a landmark address at the official opening of the 2025 Criminal Assizes. The reforms, which aim to enhance the speed and integrity of trials on indictment, mark a pivotal shift in Ghana’s criminal justice landscape.
Delivering her speech in Accra yesterday, the Chief Justice highlighted the culmination of a year-long justice reform journey that began with the launch of her Leading Justice Initiatives on April 8, 2024.
The initiatives sought to identify and address systemic weaknesses in the Judiciary while promoting legality, due process, and institutional efficiency.
Among the most notable reforms unveiled today is the expansion of the national juror pool. Traditionally drawn from a narrow group of clerical and public sector staff, jurors will now be selected from a broader cross-section of Ghanaian society, including private sector professionals. The reform targets the elimination of what the Chief Justice described as “professional jurors”—individuals who had served on multiple juries for years, sometimes over a decade.
“This change is long overdue,” Her Ladyship stated, adding “we are taking steps to ensure that jurors reflect a true cross-section of society and that the time of those on jury duty is used efficiently to promote swift justice.”
The Chief Justice outlined a series of administrative directives aimed at accelerating trial processes across the country.
Among them: No juror shall be listed in more than one court to avoid scheduling conflicts. Trials are to run continuously—day-to-day—until concluded.
Full prosecution disclosures must be filed before empaneling juries, a move designed to avoid delays and encourage plea bargaining.
Judges must prepare Case Completion Plans before the start of trials, in line with established practice directions.
In certain cases, such as rape, judges may opt to try cases with the aid of assessors rather than juries, further optimizing the system.
Justice Torkornoo also indicated that Justices from the Superior Courts could be authorized to hear criminal cases nationwide, helping to ease case backlogs and bring speedy justice to affected parties.
The Chief Justice called for strict compliance with laws governing juror conduct, attendance, and accountability.
She warned that jurors who fail to attend proceedings without justification could face sanctions, including loss of allowances.
Other key stakeholders were also given a clarion call to uphold their responsibilities. Lawyers were reminded to observe the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 2020.
Police and Prison officers were urged to ensure the timely production of accused persons and evidence, while judges were directed to use judicial powers to compel witness attendance to prevent undue delays.
“These reforms are not mere administrative tweaks,” the Chief Justice emphasized. “They are a national call to all actors in the justice system to work with urgency, accountability and fairness.”
In closing, Justice Torkornoo saluted the planning team and key partners who made the reforms possible.
The post Chief Justice Launches Sweeping Jury Reformsat Opening of 2025 Criminal Assizes appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
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