The Volta and Oti regions' 26 chosen magistrates, their court registrars, and family tribunal panel members have completed a two-day course in "Trauma-informed Judicial Practice" in Ho.
The program's goal was to help participants understand how trauma affects victim participation in legal procedures. It was jointly arranged by the Judicial Service of Ghana and the International Justice Movement (IJM).
It also aimed, among other things, to help participants understand how a trauma-informed courtroom atmosphere, procedures, and communication may both alleviate fear and stress and fully involve victims and witnesses in the legal process while also protecting them.
In a presentation, Justice Dennis Adjei of the Court of Appeal pleaded with the audience to abstain from all kinds of bias and prejudice against suspects and witnesses in cases that were presented before them in order to ensure fair hearings.
until a case is shown otherwise
He emphasized that those who were detained after committing a crime and then processed for court were assumed innocent by the court unless and until they were proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Justice Adjei said, "For that regard, processes in court were supposed to establish the truth of the case before the court.
"For example, assuming an accused individual is guilty of the crime based only on his or her bizarre hairstyle will be unfair since the accused person did not act for the sake of justice," he declared.
The Justice of the Appeal Court emphasized the importance of magistrates having a thorough grasp of trauma and its effects on victims, as well as the relationship between the law and practice with regard to the rights of trauma victims.
Additionally, he advised the attendees against placing suspects under house arrest as a form of punishment because they might not ultimately be proven guilty.
Gabriel Acolatsey, the IJM's manager of aftercare services, stated that the movement's primary goal was to collaborate with law enforcement and other governmental organizations to rescue children who had been the victims of child trafficking on the Volta Lake, rehabilitate them, and make it easier to prosecute the offenders.
Rescue
He asserted that since 2015, IJM has collaborated with pertinent government organizations to rescue 452 victims and detain 250 suspects in such crimes.
According to Mr. Acolatsey, 94 of those detained had been successfully prosecuted, and 163 victims had their rights returned.
"We have been able to achieve this feat through collective hard work with the Ghana Police Service, Department of Social Welfare, Attorney-General's Department, Judicial Service, our shelter partners, and other stakeholders," he continued.
Ho, Kpando, Jasikan, and Kete Krachi in the Volta Region, and Dambai in the Oti Region, were chosen as the participants.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0