Cape Coast The Chief Justice, Mr Justice Isaac K. Abban, said today it is because of the desire to administer “grass- roots justice with a human face” that the community tribunals are situated near the people. Chairmen and panel members of community tribunals must therefore endeavour to be conversant with the criminal and procedure codes in the exercise of their jurisdiction. The Chief Justice was opening a two-day “Continuing judicial education” seminar for 70 chairmen and panel members of community tribunals in the Central region at the Cape Coast court complex. He urged the participants to master local bye-laws, taking cognizance of the sanitation and environmental bye-laws.They should be stern and unyielding in the enforcement of such bye-laws. He said the new system of community tribunals differs greatly from the former public tribunals because they possess both civil and criminal jurisdictions, with the panel of judges being chaired by lawyers as far as practicable.
