Private Institutions to submit staff lists for jury duty – Justice Asare-Botwe

The Judicial Service is introducing a new directive requiring private institutions to submit their staff lists for jury duty when contacted, expanding beyond the previous norm of selecting jurors solely from civil and public institutions.

This initiative, spearheaded by Chief Justice Her Ladyship Gertrude Torkornoo through the LEADING JUSTICE program, aims to resolve the persistent delays in jury trials.

Speaking on The Law Program with Samson Lardy on February 23, Her Ladyship Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe, Justice of the Court of Appeal, disclosed that this new arrangement has already commenced in the Central Region, where over 160 new jurors have been trained.

“Previously, we only reached out to civil and public service offices to nominate individuals for jury duty. Now, we can call upon any institution, public or private. The most recent implementation of this policy started in the Central Region, where an application was made ex parte, requiring institutions to submit their staff lists along with employees’ work schedules,” she explained.

Her Ladyship further cautioned institutions against submitting incomplete staff lists, warning that such an omission would constitute a criminal offense.

Additionally, individuals selected for jury duty will be required to serve unless they appear before the magistracy and provide justifiable reasons for exemption.

Reforming Jury Trials for Efficiency

Discussing the changes designed to expedite jury trials, Justice Asare Botwe revealed that jurors will no longer be engaged for prolonged periods. Instead, they will be empaneled for specific cases within a set timeframe, ensuring quicker trial processes.

“Now, jurors will only be assigned to one case at a time in a single court. They will work continuously, hearing two to three witnesses per day—whatever the court can accommodate—all day, every day, until the case concludes. This ensures that trials move faster, and everyone complies with the process,” she noted.

Her Ladyship Lydia Osei Marfo of the Court of Appeal, who was on the show, emphasized that any party attempting to delay proceedings by deliberately absenting themselves would face sanctions under the new jury trial structure.

This reform marks a significant shift in how jury trials are conducted, aiming to eliminate unnecessary delays and improve judicial efficiency.