Judicial Council, judges describe invasion of court as barbaric

The Judicial Council, the Association of Magistrates and Judges, Ghana (AMJG) and the Judicial Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) have condemned the attack on the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Circuit Court last Thursday by some members of the Delta Force, linked to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The attack led to the escape of 13 members of the Delta Force who had been arraigned in court for forcibly throwing the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator out of office last month.

In a press statement issued after an emergency meeting yesterday, the Judicial Council called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Minister for the Interior to provide “maximum security for all judges and courts in the country.’’

The statement described the action of the vigilante group as “an act of impunity and barbaric incident that dents the image of the country.’’

According to the council, the unlawful release of 13 members of the Delta Force who were on remand at the court by their colleagues was a “grave attack on the independence and dignity of the Judiciary and the rule of law.

“The Judiciary is the last bastion and bulwark for the defence and protection of the constitution and the rule of law. The nation’s attempt at democratic governance and the enforcement of rule of law will flounder if such actions are allowed to fester,’’ the statement said.

The statement also appealed to all judges and staff of the Judicial Service to remain calm and perform their duties without fear as the Judicial Council liaised with the government to prevent any such incident in future.

AMJG and JUSAG

For AMJG and JUSAG, the action by the vigilante group should be treated with the seriousness it deserves by the government.

At a joint press conference in Accra yesterday, the two groups described the action of the Delta Force as “criminal, primitive and uncivilised,’’ and called on the relevant authorities to, as a matter of urgency, stabilise the situation to allay the fears of judges and magistrates.

“This incident should not, and we are not going to allow it to be the usual talking shop for our radio and TV stations without any firm action to give security to judges and magistrates all over the country,’’ the President of the AMJG, Mr Justice Victor Ofoe, stated at the press conference.