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The Attorney General Should Assume the Prosecution of This Case

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Editorial (The Daily Searchlight, Friday, 17th June 2022)

www.ghanareaders.com

The Accra Circuit Court trying six alleged robbers, five of whom are policemen, says it would strike out the case if the prosecution delays the process.

It said on the next adjourned date if prosecution failed to comply with its orders for the case to move on, it would strike out the case.

The Court said the delay was worrying and the incarceration of the accused persons was inconsiderate.

However, the Court said it could not grant the six accused persons bail as prayed their counsels due to the great nature of the offence and the circumstances of its commission.

The oral request for bail by counsels was denied, the Court said.

Case would be struck-out if prosecution failed to comply with the Court’s order to file and serve the accused persons with witness statements.

The Court therefore adjourned the case to June 28, 2022, for Case Management Conference or possible start of the case.

The Daily Searchlight believes that given the complexity and ramifications of this case, it is necessary that the Attorney-General takes over the prosecution of the case.

Indeed, we are surprised at any suggestion that lay police prosecutors could be trying such a complex matter.

Given the fact that some of the suspects are police officers, and given the gravity of the alleged crime, as well as the fact that the suspects are well represented legally, it is necessary that people trained in the niceties and complexities of law, handle the prosecution.

Even at the level, we believe that the type of prosecutors assigned to the case must be the most experienced and legally adroit.

For the Circuit Court judge to be put in the unfortunate position of having to issue threats in the nature that she would allow the suspects in the dock to go free, is unacceptable.

If the Attorney General is truly interested in fighting the heinous crime of robbery, then he should take an interest in the prosecution of this matter post haste.

(This article was first published in the column EDITORIAL of the Daily Searchlight of Tuesday,, 8th June, 2022. The Daily Searchlight appears on the newsstands of Ghana every working day and PDF versions are available for sale online twenty-four hours a day all day throughout the world on www.ghananewsstand.com).

 

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