By Rebecca Ampah
Justice Philip Bright Mensah, a Supreme Court nominee, has called for the full digitisation of Ghana’s judicial system to speed up justice delivery and reduce the backlog of cases in the courts.
Speaking during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Justice Mensah emphasised the need for the Judicial Service to adopt electronic systems that will allow for the filing and processing of cases online.
“The Judicial Service must digitalise its system to enable electronic filing of cases,” he said. “When cases are filed electronically, proof of service can be automatically issued and uploaded into the system. That way, we avoid situations where a bereaved person, although they may have served a process, cannot prove it.”
Responding to concerns about delays in court proceedings, some of which lead to cases being abandoned or left unresolved, Justice Mensah pointed to successful models from other African countries, such as Kenya and Tanzania, where virtual courts have been implemented effectively.
“In other jurisdictions, once cases are filed electronically, their resolution is system-generated, meaning the Chief Justice has no direct influence over which judge hears a case. That ensures transparency and efficiency,” he explained.
He added that virtual court platforms, such as Zoom, can enable judges to work even while away from their duty posts. “A judge who has travelled to his hometown can still work because of the virtual court system,” he noted.
Justice Mensah said introducing such systems in Ghana would be a major step forward, helping to ensure that cases are tried as expeditiously as possible.
His remarks came in response to a question from Hon. Laadi Ayii Ayamba, Member of Parliament for Pusiga, who asked for his suggested solution to the problem of court cases taking too long, with some eventually dying without being determined.
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