Part 1 of this article examined how witnesses may be influenced before and during a police investigation through discussions with other witnesses, family members, social media, news coverage, suggestive questioning and translation. The risk of contamination, however, does not end when the police obtain a witness statement. It may continue when prosecutors meet witnesses to … Continue reading Witness Contamination: When Good Evidence Becomes Unreliable – Part 2
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Witness Contamination: When Good Evidence Becomes Unreliable – Part 1
When people think about unreliable witness evidence, they often imagine a dishonest witness who deliberately lies to investigators, prosecutors or the court. In reality, some problematic witness evidence results from honest mistakes. A witness may genuinely believe that what they are saying is true and yet unknowingly provide inaccurate information. One reason this happens is … Continue reading Witness Contamination: When Good Evidence Becomes Unreliable – Part 1
Rehabilitation of Offenders: Lessons from International Practice for Ghana
By: Her Worship Georgette Carmel Lutterodt, Esq., Her Worship Anastacia Yaa Agyeiwaa Karimu, Esq. and Her Worship Dromo Afarley Djarbeng, Esq.Introduction For many years, imprisonment has largely been understood as an instrument of punishment. The offender commits an offence, is convicted and is sent to prison to serve a prescribed sentence. However, modern correctional policy increasingly recognises that … Continue reading Rehabilitation of Offenders: Lessons from International Practice for Ghana
Beyond Community Service: Ghana’s Need For A Comprehensive Non-Custodial Sentencing Framework
By: Tracy Abena Serwaa Frimpong Abstract Ghana’s criminal justice framework has long been characterised by imprisonments even for misdemeanours and minor offences. But recently, the Parliament of Ghana has taken a major step through the passage of the Community Service Bill 2026 to introduce community service as an alternative to imprisonment for minor offences. However, … Continue reading Beyond Community Service: Ghana’s Need For A Comprehensive Non-Custodial Sentencing Framework
Penal Reform in Ghana: How the Supreme Court Paved the Way for Community Sentencing
By: Her Worship Georgette Carmel Lutterodt, Esq., Her Worship Anastacia Yaa Agyeiwaa Karimu, Esq. and Her Worship Dromo Afarley Djarbeng, Esq. For many years, Ghana's criminal justice system has relied heavily on custodial sentences, even for offences that could be addressed through alternative forms of punishment. This overreliance on imprisonment has contributed to overcrowded prisons, increased public expenditure, … Continue reading Penal Reform in Ghana: How the Supreme Court Paved the Way for Community Sentencing
Theories of Punishment and their Place in Ghana’s Criminal Justice System
By: Her Worship Georgette Carmel Lutterodt, Esq., Her Worship Anastacia Yaa Agyeiwaa Karimu, Esq. and Her Worship Dromo Afarley Djarbeng, Esq. INTRODUCTION Punishment has always occupied a central place in every criminal justice system. It is the means by which society responds to criminal conduct, condemns unlawful behaviour, protects the public, and seeks to preserve law and order. … Continue reading Theories of Punishment and their Place in Ghana’s Criminal Justice System
Judicial Discretion Under Ghana’s New Community Service Bill
Introduction The passage of the Community Service Bill by Parliament is one of the most significant sentencing reforms in Ghana's criminal justice system in recent decades, comparable in significance to the repeal of the death penalty for certain offences. By introducing community service as an alternative to imprisonment for specified categories of offences, Parliament has … Continue reading Judicial Discretion Under Ghana’s New Community Service Bill
Part 2: What Happens After the Death of an Accused Person? Property, Exhibits and Forfeiture
This article is Part 2 of a three-part series examining what happens when an accused person dies during criminal proceedings. Part 1 explained how criminal proceedings generally come to an end upon the death of an accused person. This article examines a related but distinct question: what happens to property connected to the case after … Continue reading Part 2: What Happens After the Death of an Accused Person? Property, Exhibits and Forfeiture
When an Accused Refuses to Plead: Legal Framework and Judicial Response
By: Samuela Amma Boakye-Appiah, Esq. Taking the plea of an accused person is a very important aspect of criminal procedure in Ghana. It can be likened to the effect of a defendant in a civil matter entering appearance to the matter. Even though in civil procedure failing to enter an appearance can lead to a … Continue reading When an Accused Refuses to Plead: Legal Framework and Judicial Response
The Community Service Bill, 2026: Learning from Experience, Avoiding Excess
By: Her Worship Georgette Carmel Lutterodt, Esq., Her Worship Anastacia Yaa Agyeiwaa Karimu, Esq. and Her Worship Dromo Afarley Djarbeng, Esq. Ghana’s criminal justice system is undergoing a necessary and long-overdue shift. The Community Service Bill, 2026, currently before Parliament, reflects a growing consensus—one that has been echoed in prior discussions and scholarship—that imprisonment should not … Continue reading The Community Service Bill, 2026: Learning from Experience, Avoiding Excess
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