Corrupt judges and officials to be expunged - CJ

The Chief Justice, Justice Edward Kwame Wiredu has said that Judges and officials of the Judicial Service, who indulge in corrupt practices, would be expunged from the service. "I wish to caution that any judge or official who engages in corrupt practices should bear in mind that he stands the risk of being removed from the service if he is caught by the law."

Justice Wiredu said this in a message to usher in the 45th legal year at a special service held at the Cathedral Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Accra. He noted that one of the major problems the service was facing was the charge of corruption, saying that hardly a week passes by without news of corruption against a judge or officials of the service in the print or electronic media.

"This situation is very disturbing, but there is one thing for certain and it is that no one would correct this negative perception about us, we have to correct it ourselves," he said. The Chief Justice announced that the Judicial Council has therefore, embarked on a crusade to weed out the bad nuts amongst the Judiciary.

Justice Wiredu said apart from a few bad one whose misdeeds have dented the respectable and admirable image of the judiciary, a number of judges and officials have really worked hard during the past year, adding, "this is evident by the substantial number of hard working and incorruptible judges and officials who have been promoted and elevated.

One of the serious problems, the Chief Justice said, facing the Judiciary was uncomplimentary perception of long delays in the administration of justice and announced that within the next few years all the Superior Courts would be automated to ensure that cases are expeditiously dealt with.

"The automation process of the court would give meaning to the age-old adage of justice delayed, justice denied." he added. Justice Wiredu announced that the service would soon launch an HIV/AIDS programme to be dubbed "AIDS Sub-Project in the Judicial Service" in Accra and Kumasi as the Service's contribution towards the fight against the dreadful disease in the country.