Submit applications to access unclaimed funds paid into court by parties – CJ invites legitimate claimants

The Chief Justice of Ghana is inviting legitimate claimants to submit applications to access money paid into courts as a result of orders given over the years.

This Special exercise which commenced on June 1, 2022,  will end on December 30, 2022.

In a notice signed by the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah, he notes that these monies have been lodged in deposit accounts of the Judicial Service but some of the orders did not carry any formal further directive for investments of the funds by the courts.

Additionally, he indicates that some of the money has regrettably been held in the deposit account for decades, unclaimed by successful parties/ beneficiaries of the funds or their successors as the case may be, and the value keeps on depreciating with time.

He notes that the Judicial Service has no authority to hold depositors’ funds perpetually, without paying those beneficiaries entitled.

As a result, legitimate claimants are being invited to submit applications to access these monies through the following procedure;

• A claimant may directly or through a lawyer, submit an application supported by all the relevant documentation, which discloses the details of the case, to the Registry of the court which issued the order for payment of money into court.
• The Registrar of the Court will then conduct a preliminary assessment of the application and transmit only claims with proper documentation to the Judicial Secretary.
• A detailed Evaluation of the Application with supporting documents will be undertaken to establish the legitimacy of the claim
• Once established, successful claimants will be advised of the necessary steps to take in order to access the funds.

The General public is hereby advised to take immediate steps to reclaim any monies due to them after cases are heard to finality.