It's time to review exemptions in juror selection-Justice Asare-Botwe

A Justice of the Court of Appeal, Her Ladyship Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, has called for a review of the exemptions in the selection of individuals for jury duty.

According to her, the Criminal Offences (Procedure) Act (Act 30), which was passed in 1960, was enacted at a time when the nation’s literate population was significantly lower than it is today, where there is a vast mass of literate persons and professionals. 

As a result, it was impractical then to require all literate individuals to serve as jurors, leading to the establishment of exemptions.

Speaking on The Law program, Justice Asare-Botwe called for an amendment or re-enactment of the law to align with contemporary trends in jury selection.

“I am thinking and hoping that we will soon have some kind of amendment or re-enactment of our procedural rules. The reality is that a lot has changed—even our professions. It’s time for us to take another look at the exemptions.”

Reforming Jury Trials for Efficiency

Discussing the changes aimed at expediting jury trials, Justice Asare-Botwe revealed that jurors will no longer be engaged for prolonged periods. Instead, they will be empaneled for specific cases within a set timeframe to ensure faster trial processes.

“Now, jurors will only be assigned to one case at a time in a single court. They will work continuously, hearing two to three witnesses per day—whatever the court can accommodate—all day, every day, until the case concludes. This ensures that trials progress swiftly and that all parties comply with the process,” she noted.

Her Ladyship Lydia Osei Marfo of the Court of Appeal, who was also on the show, emphasized that any party attempting to delay proceedings by deliberately absenting themselves would face sanctions under the new jury trial structure.