The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) has engaged stakeholders on the Ghana Case Tracking System (CTS) to promote effective justice delivery and reduce delays in the country’s criminal justice system.
The engagement, held in Takoradi, focused on educating stakeholders on the importance of the CTS and encouraging its effective use by justice sector institutions.
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The Programme Manager of CHRI, Ms Esther Ahulu, explained that the CTS was developed under the USAID Justice Sector Support Activity to strengthen justice institutions and improve access to justice.
She said the system was introduced to address challenges within the criminal justice system, including poor collaboration and communication among key institutions.
The Ghana Case Tracking System, launched by the government in 2018, is an integrated software platform that tracks criminal cases from the point of arrest through investigation, prosecution, conviction, rehabilitation and release.
Ms Ahulu noted that the system supports institutions such as the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Attorney General’s Department, Legal Aid Commission and the Judicial Service by helping them collect, manage and share case information effectively.
According to her, the electronic system promotes faster information sharing, quick report generation, transparency and accountability within the justice sector.
She urged religious leaders, community representatives, the media and corporate institutions to support efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the system to prevent delays in justice delivery and improve crime data management.
The Western Regional Director of the Legal Aid Commission, Mrs Sweetie Sowah, also educated participants on the free legal services provided by the Commission and encouraged Ghanaians to make use of the support available when faced with legal challenges.
