People are more relaxed when they appear before tribunals – Justice Dzamefe

Supreme Court nominee, Justice Senyo Dzamefe has said persons standing trial who have appeared before tribunal in the past were more relaxed than in a regular court trial.

Appearing before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on June 16, 2025 for vetting, he explained that due to the setup of the regional tribunals; two non-legal experts who are Ghanaians and one Judge, a lawyer, individuals become too comfortable before the tribunals.

The nominee made the statement while he was responding to a question from Okaikwei Central MP, Patrick Yaw Boamah about whether he will advocate the setting up of tribunals again to assist with justice delivery in the country.

 “That’s exactly what I will do but unfortunately, it’s a wrong perception. People are more relaxed when they appear before the tribunals because the panel is three; two ordinary people and the Judge who is a lawyer, they are more relaxed from my experience,” he said.

Justice Dzamefe also rejected the idea that lawyers would intimidate tribunal members who have no legal experience to hear a case

.“Don’t underrate those people, they may not know the technical terms but the wisdom in every case they know and you can’t bully them,” he added.

Regional Tribunals in Ghana are courts established within each region to try certain offenses against the state and public interest, as well as hear appeals from lower courts and enforce decisions of the higher courts.