Legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has reiterated the need for legislation that imposes strict timelines on criminal trials in Ghana, arguing that prolonged courtroom delays undermine justice and public trust.
On TV3, he stressed that Ghana must follow international best practices adopted in the United States, India and the United Kingdom, where the duration of certain categories of criminal cases is clearly defined.
“So that you have a specific period, six months, complete this case,” he suggested in the interview monitored by MyNewsGh.
“Once it’s a law, judges will uphold it because if they don’t keep the timeline, their job is on the line.”
Kpebu referenced Ghana’s 2012–2013 election petition as proof that enforced timelines work. “We’ve experimented with election petitions. Let’s roll it out to cover other offences,” he said.
He warned that delays fuel public anger and increase suspicion of political interference in the justice system. By reforming trial procedures, he argued, Ghana would strengthen accountability and restore confidence in the courts.
