Justice cannot be selective – Miracles Aboagye questions speed of court cases

Dennis Miracles Aboagye, a hopeful National Communications Officer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed concerns over what he perceives as an uneven application of justice within Ghana’s judicial system. During an interview on Joy News’ PM Express, Mr Aboagye questioned the disparity in the handling of criminal cases, highlighting the seemingly protracted timelines for some while others are expedited.

His remarks coincide with a broader discourse on the dynamics between the judiciary and the executive, spurred by complaints from various political figures regarding the speed and treatment of high-profile trials. Mr Aboagye pointed to cases involving the former CEO of Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedinam Tamakloe, and the arrest of Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, as instances of what he termed as unfair treatment.

He had written to the Chief Justice about a month prior, outlining his worries about the judiciary’s perceived closeness to the executive and the apparent favoritism that exists. According to Aboagye, he had received a response from the Judicial Secretary, yet he reiterated his stance that the judiciary must remain wholly independent from political interference.

"I firmly believe that we must keep our judiciary far removed from our politics, far, far, far away from our politics," he emphasized. In discussing his apprehensions about selective justice, Mr Aboagye insisted that the legal system should apply the same rigorous standards to all cases. "A criminal is a criminal; there is no way to wait," he stated, questioning why some cases—some dating back to 2020—remain unresolved for years while others are swiftly processed.

"You go on legal vacation every year, and even then, you are treating some cases with kid gloves while others are treated harshly," he remarked. Mr Aboagye attributed the citizens' growing concerns to the impression that the judiciary is becoming too entangled with the government. He remarked, "the hundreds of people you see on the streets every day are simply expressing their belief that the judiciary is romancing with the executive and is making the executive too comfortable."