What The Papers Say
Daily Graphic
Ghana People's justice
The Mirror concluded its editorial by asking if this is "the type of justice that the people expect from the people's own tribunals?" Perhaps it should be stated plainly that though the tribunal has set Mr Kwame Arhin free, the people have not.
Also the government last weekend ordered the re-arrest of Nii Amoo-Addy, who was acquitted and discharged on a murder charge by the Public Tribunal chaired by Mr Addo Aikins, and called for a copy of the judgement.
The Tribunal's reason for discharging the accused was that he did not know the mechanism of the weapon with which he shot the deceased at close range. About two weeks ago, the country was told about the Buruwaa Affair in which an accused person serving an 18-month prison sentence was released from prison under curious circumstances.
The chain of these events seem to point to the fact that a closer look has to be taken at the Tribunals. The Graphic agrees with the government that some of the verdicts which have come out of the Tribunals in very recent times "can only destroy confidence in popular justice", We also agreed with the state that "some of the Tribunals are beginning to take on the characteristics of some of the traditional courts".
Some people have observed that the number of lawyers appearing for accused persons at the Tribunals have increased. Some seem to see a kind of infiltration of the ranks of the dedicated members of the Tribunals on this. This may be true, for quite a number of counsel have not only dubious pasts, but they are also clearly hostile to the process of change for justice for the common man.
Others have argued, as we did in our editorial on June 11, 1984, that it is about time a new look was taken at the whole structure of investigations, vetting and Tribunals with a view to strengthening it to do its work more efficiently.
The Graphic believes that this is urgent now.
