Sekondi: The judiciary has processed a total of 12 cases in the Sekondi central prisons under the Justice for All (JFA) programme. Three accused persons were convicted and imprisoned, two granted bail, two discharged, three refused bails, three referred for psychiatric care, and one absent. Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, Justice of the Appeal Court, announced this after sitting in the Sekondi central prison, highlighting planned reforms to improve jury and criminal trials.
According to Ghana News Agency, Justice Asare-Botwe emphasized that the reforms would include supporting plea bargaining under Section 162(A) of Act 1079 to help reduce prison overcrowding. She noted that investigators would be encouraged to work diligently to prevent the prolonged detention of remand inmates. Expressing gratitude to lawyers from the Public Defenders Division of the Legal Aid Commission, she acknowledged their role in providing representation and funding for the event and related ones held in Tamale, Sunyani, Ho, and Sekondi.
The JFA programme, fully organised and funded by state institutions, including the Judicial Service, the Office of the Attorney-General, and the Public Defenders Division of the Legal Aid Commission, aims to address issues under Article 14(4) of Ghana's 1992 Constitution. This article mandates the release of detained individuals if not tried within a 'reasonable time,' although this duration is not clearly defined in law. Justice Asare-Botwe highlighted that this lack of clear standards and institutional challenges had led to many accused persons being held on remand for extended periods without trial.
As of March 2, 2026, data from the Ghana Prisons Service Records Units indicated a total inmate population of 13,620, with 1,745 (12.81%) on remand and 11,875 (87.19%) convicts. Since its introduction in 2007 by then Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, the JFA programme has positively impacted the remand population, reducing it from 30.57% to 12.23%.
Justice Asare-Botwe attributed this improvement to collaboration and capacity building among Criminal Justice Institutions, including the Judiciary, law enforcement, Prosecuting Institutions like the Office of the Attorney-General, and the Legal Aid Commission. Nationwide training has been introduced to ensure judges adhere strictly to Section 96 of the Criminal Procedure Act and Supreme Court decisions regarding bail.
She praised the JFA programme as a symbol of commitment to upholding the rule of law, safeguarding human rights, and ensuring timely hearings for remand prisoners. The initiative has reduced unnecessary detention, bolstered public confidence in the justice system, and contributed to prison decongestion. Justice Asare-Botwe urged the public, NGOs, civil society, and the media to acknowledge the progress made and refrain from misrepresenting Ghana's criminal justice system, particularly regarding remand prisoners, to support and strengthen this initiative, ensuring Ghana remains a beacon of justice, fairness, and humanity.