Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has cautioned judges against imposing excessively long custodial sentences, stressing that such practices hinder inmate rehabilitation and contribute to overcrowding in the nation’s prisons. He emphasized that while punishment remains essential, sentencing should align with reformative goals and established guidelines.
Reflecting on his own judicial record, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie noted: “I have sentenced individuals to 70 years before. Everyone knows that as a High Court judge, I gave Ataa Ayi 70 years. So I am not opposed to long sentences. However, lengthy terms significantly burden the prison system and can sometimes prove counterproductive.” He offered this advice during a courtesy visit to the management of the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS) in Accra yesterday.
Long sentences
The Chief Justice emphasised that the core purpose of prisons is offender rehabilitation, but noted that excessively long sentences often undermine this goal. “No matter the level of reformation efforts, when sentences are disproportionately high, they ultimately become counterproductive,” he remarked.
He further observed that some judges have strayed from established sentencing guidelines and announced that the Judicial Service will periodically engage officers from the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS) to orient newly appointed judges on appropriate sentencing practices. The Chief Justice also highlighted that prison overcrowding is exacerbated by delays in the judicial process, particularly extended remand periods.
“It is not anybody’s wish that somebody stays on remand for so long, but because the courts are congested and other cases are prioritised, remand cases tend to suffer. The more remanded prisoners you have, the greater the congestion in prisons,” Justice Baffoe-Bonnie further said. Shift system
As part of measures to decongest both the courts and the prisons, the Chief Justice announced plans to introduce a shift court system, with judges sitting in morning and afternoon sessions. “We have decided that we are going to set up a shift court system. We already have Sunday courts. We are not yet at night courts, but this is the beginning,” he said.
The Chief Justice said once the system became operational, prison officers might be required to present convicted and remand prisoners earlier than usual to facilitate faster trials. He also said that special courts dedicated to cybercrime, human trafficking and cross-border crimes would be rolled out soon.
“There have been several instances where people being tried for cyber offences are found to be committing these crimes while actually in prison,” Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said. He expressed concern about the smuggling of mobile phones and other electronic gadgets into prisons, which enabled inmates to engage in cyber-related crimes.
Significance
The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, described the visit as both timely and essential for strengthening prison administration. She noted that the engagement created a valuable platform to openly examine how judicial sentencing decisions influence the daily management of inmates.
“This meeting is truly worthwhile. I see it as a moment where the gavel meets the chains—an opportunity to reflect on the impact of judicial sentences and their implications for the everyday management of prisoners,” she remarked.
Source: Joshua Bediako Koomson
