A youth-led anti-corruption organisation, the Bright Future Alliance, has accused Ghana’s judiciary of weakening the country’s fight against corruption through prolonged trials, legal setbacks, and poor outcomes in high-profile cases.
At a press conference held at the Mikado Holdings Plaza in Accra, the group criticised what it described as a troubling pattern of judicial decisions that undermine the efforts of anti-corruption institutions such as the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), the Attorney-General’s Department, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Bright Ofori, Executive Director of the Alliance and a member of the Youth Integrity Advisory Board under the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, cited several cases as evidence of systemic failures within Ghana’s courts.
“The case involving former PPA CEO Adjenim Boateng Adjei, accused of procurement corruption, has dragged on since 2020 and is still stuck at the case management stage. Former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah was found with large sums of unexplained cash. Her frozen accounts were later unfrozen by the court due to lack of evidence, and the case was eventually dropped. Charles Bissue, accused of corruption linked to illegal mining, has experienced repeated delays. The OSP was fined for slow responses, and the matter is now adjourned to May 2025. In Kumasi, a video showed an MCE nominee allegedly bribing assembly members for confirmation. Despite video and witness evidence, the court acquitted and discharged him,” he stated.
According to the Alliance, such outcomes erode accountability and send a message that politically connected individuals can evade justice while marginalised citizens face swift punishment for minor offences.
The group is calling on the Acting Chief Justice and the Judicial Council to treat corruption cases with the same urgency and rigour as political or election-related petitions.
They are also demanding enhanced institutional support for prosecutorial and anti-corruption bodies—through adequate funding, legal protection, and a judiciary that recognises the importance of their work.
The group warned that Ghanaians—particularly the youth—are becoming increasingly disillusioned with what they see as judicial inaction. Without urgent reform, they cautioned, public confidence in the justice system and Ghana’s democratic institutions could collapse.
Despite their frustrations, the group expressed hope that, with the right changes, the judiciary can be repositioned to deliver justice and ensure accountability for corrupt acts.
Source: Maxwell Aklorbortu