Chief Justice of Ghana, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo has reprimanded Staff of the Judicial Service particularly Court Bailiffs to cease from the demonstration of requesting money from individuals they serve court processes on.
The CJ asserts that the staff, including her own self, are public servants who are expected to perform their duties in accordance with their terms of employment.
When she spoke to the 2023 Judicial Service Staff Durbar at the Forecourt of the Court Complex in Cape Coast, Justice Torkornoo urged them to adopt a serving mindset.
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She railed that she would lose her job if they were able to change their behavior and stop demanding money from people before they (Bailiffs) perform service procedures on them.
“In closing, I will like to say that always keep in mind that justice delivery is a service and just like any other service, the customer must be satisfied with the entire process of the service,” the CJ stated.
“So when somebody comes to court and is able to file a process but the service of the process takes too long, we (staff) are hurting them.
“I want to encourage you to begin to develop the attitude of service. We’re in a public service. We’re public servants. We are servants. If you don’t remember anything I have said today (Monday September 11), I want you to go away with this, that the Chief Justice said I am a servant, she herself (CJ) is a servant and all of us are servants. We are here to serve the people of Ghana. I don’t want you to ever forget that.
“So Bailiffs, you cannot be demanding money from people before you set off to serve them their processes, because that was not the condition of service that you were given, if you don’t like the job because we won’t allow you to be demanding money, you can give me my job back, I will find someone else.
“But, I want you to remember that you’re a servant. When you have served the process, prove service, your money would be paid. I know it takes time but please, you accept to work in the judicial service and your focus should be serving.”
The 2023 Staff Durbar and open forum was on the theme, ‘Building the pillars of justice in the Ghanaian justice system’ and was held on September 11, the same day the Chief Justice turned 61 years.
