Ghana Deputy Attorney General defends trials during legal vacation

Ghanaian Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has defended the practice of conducting trials during the legal vacation, rejecting arguments from the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) that such proceedings require lawyer consent. Srem-Sai argued that allowing legal teams to dictate the judicial timetable would undermine the authority of the courts and could lead to significant delays in the justice system.

Addressing concerns regarding the political implications of these trials, Srem-Sai stated that the interests of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) align with the constitutional mandate for speedy trials. He dismissed allegations that the government is attempting to manipulate the vacation period to influence cases involving former officials, asserting that the constitutional requirement to prevent undue delay in legal proceedings is a primary driver.

Srem-Sai further clarified that judges assigned to vacation courts maintain the authority to hear urgent matters and motions transferred by the Chief Justice, as well as substantive cases within their own courts. He characterized the GBA’s interpretation as impractical, noting it could effectively halt judicial functions for months at a time.