Chief Justice urges Judiciary to strengthen foundations of justice

The Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has urged the Judiciary to focus on strengthening the foundations of justice rather than merely introducing reforms, saying the true test of every reform is whether it endures beyond the moment. He said while a foundation could be laid in a day, its strength was tested over time, and that reforms announced in a moment had to be judged by whether they survived the moment. Justice Baffoe-Bonnie gave the charge in a message at a special church service at the Cathedral Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Accra last Saturday to mark the opening of the 69th Legal Year.

The service was held on the theme: “Strengthening the Foundations of Justice through Leadership, Innovation and Technology.” The service brought together Justices of the Supreme Court, justices of the Court of Appeal, judges of the High Court, Circuit Court Judges and magistrates, the Judicial Secretary, Musah Ahmed, and other senior members of the Judicial Service. Also present were the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, his deputy, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, the President and the Vice-President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Efua Ghartey and Victoria Barnes, respectively, as well as the President of the Ghana Law Society, Rockson Nelson Etse Dafeamakpor. The Chief Justice said public confidence in the Judiciary could not be secured by the Constitution and the law alone, but had to be earned through the everyday experiences of people who used the courts.

“The citizen who enters a court does not experience the Constitution as an abstract document. He experiences it through the manner in which he is received, the time within which his case is heard, the fairness with which his matter is determined and the dignity with which he is treated,” he said. Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said, similarly, ordinary activities such as registry interactions, proper filing of documents and answering telephone calls could determine whether a person left the court believing that he had been treated fairly.

The Chief Justice said the foundations of justice were, therefore, built not only through judgments but also through the daily conduct of everyone who worked within the Judiciary. Digital inclusion Justice Baffoe-Bonnie also cautioned that the Judiciary’s digital transformation should not create a new form of exclusion. Trust earned The Chief Justice said public confidence in the Judiciary could not be secured by the Constitution and the law alone, but had to be earned through the everyday experiences of people who used the courts.