The Chief Justice, Mrs. Justice Theodora Wood, has called on the staff of the Judicial Service to be content with their status and work in honesty to help the oppressed in accessing justice.
She said it was only through contentment that members of the Service could do away with corrupt practices that are gaining roots in the service adding, ?See your position as a divine call and do the right thing?.
Mrs. Justice Wood, who spoke at the annual Chief justice?s Forum in Takoradi, said ?despite the current economic situation, you have no justification to deny the poor justice because one party can pay better or because a lawyer is giving you a gift?.
The Chief Justice forum is under the theme: ?Integrity: The Key to Effective Justice Delivery-the Importance of Adhering to Rules and Procedures?.
Mr Justice Dennis Adjei of the Superior Court said honesty and integrity were essential for success in life and appealed to them to exhibit sterling qualities irrespective of the economic hardship.
He mentioned the delay in the execution of court orders by registrars and bailiffs, extortion from suspects and arrested persons, disappearance of files, charge sheets and exhibits and leaking vital information to respondents.
Others are processing attestation, issuing of fake receipts and the preparation of legal document for a fee as some of the bad and corrupt practices that was daily denting the image of the service.
Mr Justice Adjei said for the Service to fight these and other acts, members must be willingly to comply with Rules and Procedures pertaining to the administration of Justice.
He said: ?Let us jealously guard the integrity of the Judicial Service to avoid people taking the law into their own hands?.
Nene Amegatcher, the President of the Ghana Bar Association, said court officials serve as mirror to the whole Judicial Service and added: ?Your actions and inactions have a lasting impression on the minds of court users.?
He said the desire to make quick money and by whatever means was placing a huge social cost and untold suffering to the poor and vulnerable in society and therefore called for attitudinal and behavioral change.
GNA
