The conduct of judges will erode confidence in the judiciary, not in people’s opinion – Prof. Kwasi Prempeh

The executive director of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, says what will erode trust in the justice system is the conduct of judges themselves, not what judges do. others write or say about them.

Professor Kwasi Prempeh was speaking on the news analysis program, Newsfile, on Saturday in response to a letter from court service lawyers warning the media against what he called, inciting comments against the judges hearing the election petition and ordering the removal of certain content from certain news websites.

According to him, the court should not be concerned that some people have criticized them in an unflattering manner, but rather should strive to maintain the integrity and fairness of the judiciary through their verdicts.

“Fundamentally it is important that we maintain confidence in the justice system. So in my opinion, it’s not what people write or say, but what judges do.

“And what they do includes the way they are seen to handle cases and, more importantly, the rationale they give for decisions they make in the case, because it’s not a black box.

“Judges follow the legal method, there are lawyers, there are academics, and there are other people who understand and read an opinion and understand that it is good how and why a decision was made. this way.

“While these avenues are available, I don’t think the court or the judiciary should be concerned that some people might have opinions about them or criticize them in an unflattering way.”

On the same topic, Sekondi MP Andrews Egyapa Mercer noted that the judiciary is right in seeking to protect judges from comments that may cause the public to oppose them.

According to them, Ghana’s tumultuous history provides reasons for the judiciary to be wary of such hateful comments.

“When such a correspondent goes out, you have to take a step back and then assess what it could have been if the correspondent had not gone out.

“People have made comments, people have said things which obviously do not in any way lead to the decisions made by the tribunal,” he said.

The Supreme Court is due to deliver its verdict on the election petition on March 4.