The Deputy Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Mercy Larbi, has advised traditional leaders not to preside over criminal cases, particularly those involving sexual offences.
She said chiefs and other traditional leaders have no legal authority to preside over such cases.
She said this at a stakeholders meeting, organized by Invictus Africa in partnership with the sister civic organisation Budgit Ghanas with the support of Ford Foundation on Womanity Index Ghana.
Ms Larbi stated that the police are required to investigate and prosecute sex offenders and other criminals in court.
She emphasized that the courts are responsible for overseeing such cases and imposing appropriate prison sentences on those found guilty.
“Chiefs lack the legal jurisdiction to preside over cases involving defilement, rape, assault, and other offences. We have a legal procedure in place that permits the relevant institutions to deal with the situation. The police are responsible for investigating and prosecuting criminals. Offenders are brought before a competent court of adjudication, and if found guilty, they are sentenced to the appropriate punishment,” the Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ said.
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She expressed disappointment at the inadequate compensation by some chiefs for sexually related offences.
This, she said, often leaves offenders unpunished while victims are left without justice.
“The least punishment for defilement is 25 years, and chiefs have no such authority when it comes to sentencing convicts to prison. They solely handle these cases, provide minimal compensation, and allow culprits to evade justice. It is not their responsibility to preside over such cases,” she said.