The wheels of justice at the Accra High Court have ground to a halt, effective Monday, June 2, 2025, as jurors have initiated an indefinite strike action, citing the government’s failure to disburse their allowances for a staggering eight consecutive months.
This protest threatens to paralyse ongoing criminal trials and significantly impact the judicial system.
The disgruntled jurors, a critical component of the country’s felony adjudication process, assert that all attempts to resolve the financial impasse have proven futile.
Despite formally notifying the Acting Chief Justice and the Judicial Service of their impending withdrawal of services, they claim no concrete assurances have been provided regarding the payment timeline for their substantial arrears.
Speaking to Citi News on Monday, Joshua Alorgbey, a spokesperson for the aggrieved jurors, emphasised the dire situation.
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“We are in the eighth month, and they have not paid the jurors as I speak. The jurors have served a notice to the acting Chief Justice and the Judiciary Service that they are embarking on a strike from today, June 2,” Mr Alorgbey stated, highlighting what he described as a blatant disregard for their financial stability and well-being.
The financial strain on these citizens, who are mandated by law to participate in court proceedings, is immense.
Alorgbey detailed a frustrating series of negotiations that began as far back as October 2024.
“We had a series of meetings with the acting Chief Justice and the Judicial Service. The series of meetings began in October 2024, but they kept postponing it,” he explained.
With the legal year nearing its end, jurors fear their accumulated earnings might be jeopardised indefinitely.
“What will become of our money? We cannot continue refinancing or going to court anymore,” he lamented, underscoring the personal sacrifices made by jurors who often forgo their regular livelihoods to fulfil their civic duty.
This strike impacts an estimated 15-20 active High Court criminal divisions in Accra alone, potentially stalling dozens of ongoing trials involving serious offences.
The backlog of cases, already a challenge within Ghana’s legal framework, is now expected to swell considerably, further delaying justice for both victims and accused persons.
The Judicial Service has yet to issue a formal response to the strike, but the immediate cessation of jury services portends a crisis for the criminal justice system in the nation’s capital.
The onus now falls on the Judicial Service and the Ministry of Finance to swiftly address the outstanding payments to restore the fundamental process of trial by jury.
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