Ministry urges media to exercise caution in juvenile cases

Accra, July 27, GNA - The Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs on Friday urged the media to exercise "the necessary caution" in matters relating to juveniles pointing out that the laws give them privacy during arrest, investigation, trial and at any other stage of the matter.

A statement issued in Accra on Friday by Ms Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, noted with regret that newspapers openly gave the identity of two juveniles involved in suspected drug case, saying this contravened the law.

She quoted the Criminal Justice Act (Act 653) as saying: "A juvenile has the right to privacy during arrest, investigation of the offence, at the trial of the offence and at any other stage of the cause or matter.

"A person shall not in the course of arrest, investigation or trial of an offence connected with a juvenile or at any other stage of the case or matter release any information for publication that may lead to the identification of the juvenile."

Hajia Alima added that the Children's Act (Act 560) also states: "No person shall publish information that may lead to the identification of a child in any matter before a Family Tribunal except with the permission of the Family Tribunal."

She said it would be prudent on Ghana's part, if the media exercised the necessary caution in this respect, in recognition of the law.