Chief Justice, (CJ), Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo has admonished Staff of the Judicial Service especially Court Bailiffs to desist from the act of demanding money from people they serve court processes on.
According to the CJ, the staff including her good self are public servants and are supposed to render services in accordance with their conditions of service.
Justice Torkornoo who was addressing the 2023 Judicial Service Staff Durbar at the Forecourt of the Court Complex in Cape Coast encouraged them to develop the attitude of serving.
She, however, urged that, if they cannot stop the attitude of demanding money from people before they (Bailiffs) service processes on them, they can give her back her job.
“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 Bailliffs, 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 day the Chief Justice turned 61 years.
