Accra: Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has raised concerns regarding the delays in justice administration caused by unnecessary interlocutory appeals reaching the Supreme Court. She advocated for stricter criteria to determine which cases should be escalated to the highest court in the country.
According to Ghana Web, Akuffo elaborated on her stance during an appearance on Channel One TV's The Point of View, stating that some cases are presented to the Supreme Court while the main issues are still pending in the High Court. She identified this practice as a significant factor in prolonging legal proceedings.
"Sometimes there are also some matters which come to the Supreme Court only on what is called interlocutory appeal, which is so unnecessary and shouldn't have come to the Supreme Court because the case itself might still be in the High Court," Akuffo explained. She emphasized that these appeals can take years to resolve, causing further delays in addressing the primary legal issues at hand.
Akuffo's proposal involves the Court of Appeal taking on more cases that do not present new legal questions or important constitutional matters. She believes that resolving such cases at the Court of Appeal level would streamline the judicial process and prevent unnecessary burdens on the Supreme Court.
"A lot of other matters should end in the Court of Appeals if they don't raise new issues or very sensitive constitutional issues," she added, reinforcing her view that cases without significant new legal or constitutional implications should be concluded at the Court of Appeal.