Criminal cases must be tried in ordinary courts – Prof. Oquaye opposes tribunals

Former Speaker of Parliament and Fellow of the Institute of Economic Affairs, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has voiced his opposition to the establishment of tribunals for prosecuting criminal cases. He believes that citizens should be tried in the traditional courts of the country. Oquaye argues that creating separate tribunals for certain individuals could erode the principle of equality before the law.

During a forum featuring the IEA’s discussion on the Prempeh Committee’s report and the government's stance on constitutional review, Professor Oquaye emphasized that the proliferation of prosecutorial powers in Ghana could result from the use of tribunals. He stressed that the justice system must offer a unified platform where individuals accused of crimes are subject to the same judicial procedures.

"I am particularly against having tribunals, because it is also part and parcel of this improper proliferation of prosecutorial powers in our republic," Oquaye stated. Drawing on English legal traditions, he insisted on the importance of "ordinary courts of the land," asserting that everyone should be subject to the same judicial processes, regardless of their status.

"Don’t set up something that I may be prosecuted before, but that Adwoa will not be prosecuted before. We should all have that kind of equality before the ordinary courts of the land," he added. Oquaye cautioned that these tribunals are not part of the well-established judicial system in countries like England and would not be beneficial to continue their proliferation.