Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has pledged that the judiciary will prioritise cases involving illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, and drug-related offenses by revamping specialised courts to handle them.
He said the move was necessary to restore public confidence in the justice system and to ensure that offenders face the full rigours of the law without fear or favour.
Speaking at the 44th Annual Conference of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana in Accra, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie stressed that no individual, regardless of political affiliation or social status, should be above the law.
“We must ensure that prosecutions related to illegal mining and drug trafficking and abuse are handled with seriousness, impartiality and urgency. The law must be applied without fear or favour. No person, regardless of political affiliation or social status, should be immune from justice,” he declared.
The Chief Justice nominee expressed concern about what he described as a growing perception of weak and inconsistent sentences for environmental and drug-related crimes. He said this undermines the fight against such offenses and called for harmonization of sentencing practices.
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“Consistency in sentencing is key. There is a growing perception that punishments for environmental crimes and drug offenses are either too lenient or inconsistently applied. We must change this narrative to ensure deterrence and fairness,” Justice Baffoe-Bonnie emphasized.
He also warned against external interference in judicial work, stating that independence and integrity remain the judiciary’s strongest assets in safeguarding public trust.
“Our independence must be fiercely guarded from all external pressures whether political, commercial or social. It is our integrity that assures the public that justice is not for sale,” he said.
Announcing the reforms, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie explained that the specialized courts first introduced under former Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood would be revived and expanded to deal exclusively with galamsey, environmental degradation, and narcotics-related offenses.
“Through collaboration with relevant authorities, we intend to revive the specialized courts and designate more to deal specifically with galamsey, environmental degradation and drug trafficking cases. Swift adjudication will boost enforcement and enhance public trust,” he noted.
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Beyond the courtroom, he urged judges and magistrates to play a proactive role in shaping public attitudes against galamsey and drug abuse, saying the judiciary must stand as a moral compass for society.
“Beyond our courtrooms, we must amplify the message that these crimes are not only offenses against the law, but also betrayals of our collective future. The judiciary must be at the forefront of protecting Ghana’s natural resources and safeguarding our youth from the dangers of drug abuse,” he added.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie concluded by calling for continuous judicial training to equip judges with the tools to handle new criminal trends, including cyber-enabled trafficking and complex corporate schemes used to shield illegal mining operations.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
