Fifteen inmates at the Koforidua Prisons have been granted bail following approval of their applications during an in-prison court sitting under the Justice For All Programme on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
During the session, 31 cases were presented before the court. Of these, four prisoners were convicted and had their cases adjudicated, two inmates were referred for psychiatric treatment, two applications were refused, five cases were struck out, and three were withdrawn.
The Justice For All Programme, first launched in 2007, was designed to address delays and challenges in the justice system. At its inception, Ghana’s prison population was 13,800, including 4,218 remands, representing 30.57% of inmates. Current figures from the Judiciary, based on Ghana Prisons Service records, indicate a total inmate population of 13,620, comprising 1,745 remands (12.8%) and 11,875 convicts (87.19%).
Justice of the Court of Appeal, Akua Serwaa Asare Botchway, who supervised the proceedings, highlighted the significance of the programme in a briefing to the media.
She described the initiative as a symbol of Ghana’s commitment to upholding the rule of law, safeguarding human rights, and ensuring that justice is neither delayed nor denied.
“If we improve our system, there will be no need for the Justice For All programme. The programme is only needed when there is a systemic failure. It positively impacts the vulnerable, especially those without legal representation,” she said.
