The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame has said Ghana’s jury system has severe challenges and he is taking steps to remedy it.
Dame said the steps being taken are part of proposals for amendment of many parts of the criminal procedure laws in the country.
This comes after an Accra High Court sentenced to death by hanging, Asabke Alandgi, one of two persons accused of the murder of Adams Mahama, a former Upper East Regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party on 25 May 2015.
This was after a seven-member jury had unanimously returned a verdict of guilty on him on the charge of conspiracy to murder.
However, on the charge of murder, the jury returned a 4-3 decision.
The court presided over by Justice Merley Wood, therefore, convicted Alandgi on the charge of conspiracy to murder.
In the case of Gregory Afoko, the court ordered his re-trial.
This is because the jury returned a 4-3 decision both on the charge of murder and conspiracy to murder.
But the Attorney General has posited that the ruling in this particular case is problematic.
In a statement, Dame “The instant case, particularly the unanimous verdict of the jury regarding the guilt of the 2nd accused for conspiracy to commit murder, whilst at the same time delivering a hung verdict in the case of the 1st accused on the same charge, highlights the severe challenges with the jury system, a situation the Attorney General is taking steps to remedy as part of proposals for amendment of many parts of the criminal procedure laws in Ghana.”
He has, therefore, entreated the public, including lawyers, to be guided accordingly and desist from comments which have an undue tendency to jeopardise the sound and efficient administration of justice.
Read the full statement below:
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