Lack of lawyers hampering trial of criminals in Wa

Mr Justice Chiri Adamah, Wa High Court judge, on Friday said lack of practicing lawyers in the Upper West Region was hampering proceedings in criminal cases brought before the court.

He said there were only four lawyers at Wa, who are all employees of various organisations and, therefore, find it difficult to combine their normal schedules with part time practice.

Mr Justice Adamah, who was opening the criminal session of the court at Wa, said under normal circumstances, every accused person appearing before the court should be represented by a counsel, but the court was currently handicapped by lack of legal personnel to handle cases.

The court has no other option than to call on accused persons to defend themselves, otherwise, no progress could be made.

Mr Justice Adamah suggested to the Legal Aid Board to arrange for lawyers from Tamale and Bolgatanga if the government were willing to pay their expenses.

During the session, 14 criminal cases would be tried. These include seven for murder, four armed robberies, two manslaughter and one rape.

At the first sitting of the Assizes, an accused person in one of two murder cases brought for hearing was asked by the judge to defend himself because his lawyer, who has been appointed a Deputy Minister of State, was not around and may not continue with his case.

This was after another lawyer, Mr E. Y. Bruto, who was the only lawyer in court declined taking more cases because his hands were full.

One of the murder cases has been pending for the past 10 years and the suspects have been in custody all this while without any idea of when their fate would be decided.