Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has acknowledged that public confidence in Ghana’s judiciary is waning, citing delays in hearing cases and perceptions of corruption as key challenges.
Speaking during his vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie stated that “the judiciary is as corrupt as the people who man it, and the people who man it are as corrupt as the ordinary Ghanaian.”
He explained that delays in the judicial process and the inability of citizens to access judges directly contribute to growing distrust:
“The ordinary Ghanaian goes to court, and if 100 people intend to see a judge because they have a case, less than three of them will be able to see the judge personally. They go through his wife, his girlfriend, or someone close to the judge,” he said.
The nominee described how intermediaries and court staff often manage access to judges, sometimes leading to bribery or misperceptions of corruption. He noted that while there are isolated instances of malpractice among judges, much of the loss of confidence stems from systemic inefficiencies and misunderstandings about how the courts operate.
“People’s confidence or trust in the judiciary going down is more as a result of the fact that their cases are not heard early,” Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said.
To address the issue, he highlighted Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as a potential tool to reduce backlog, streamline processes, and restore public trust in the judiciary.
“Once we know the causes of the decline in confidence, we can tackle it. If we sensitise people about ADR, people will go there, and the backlog will reduce,” he stated.
The Chief Justice nominee emphasised his commitment to improving transparency, efficiency, and accountability within the judiciary to rebuild public trust.