Tamale (Northern Region), 9th June 99 -

The Chief Justice, Mr Justice I.K. Abban has stated that panel members of tribunals have the equal rights regardless of their professional background.

Panel members have the right to differ and express dissenting opinion even from that of the chairman of the panel, he said, but cautioned against panel members ganging up against the chairman.

The Chief Justice said this in a speech read for him at a seminar on enforcement of human rights in courts and tribunals in Tamale on Tuesday.

The seminar was organised by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice and the directorate of continuing judicial Education for chairmen and panel members of community tribunals in Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions.

Mr Justice Abban said many concerns have been expressed about the uneasy relationship that exists between tribunal chairmen and members of the panel, as the former have arrogated to themselves the power to veto.

The seminar sponsored by the Konrad Adenauer foundation of Germany was aimed at updating the knowledge of participants on human rights and modern day challenges.

Topics listed for discussion included, "Fundamental Human Rights and Enforcement of Rule of Law in the Fourth Republican Constitution", "The power of arrest and the use of force" and "The role of CHRAJ vis-a-vis the court system".

Mr Justice Abban advised the tribunals to freely grant bail pending trials except for aggravated offences adding that it is unhealthy that about 50 per cent of prison inmates are remand prisoners sent there by the tribunals without bail.

The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Mr Emile Short noted that there are a number of remand prisoners in custody who have not been tried for periods ranging from one week to eight years.

He said such inordinate delays in the trials of an accused person amounts to a denial of the right to a fair trial and defeats the presumption of innocence.

Mr Short said though the constitution guarantees the rights of the individual, "such rights will remain a mere paper guarantee if the public are not made aware of them and if those primarily responsible for their promotion and protection do not appreciate the values inherent in the very concept of human rights".

GRi?/