The Judicial Service of Ghana (JSG) has clarified that judicial transfers, including the recent reassignment of Justice Priscilla Dikro Ofori, are routine administrative actions and are not intended to disrupt cases.
This follows media reports suggesting the transfer aimed to frustrate the Special Prosecutor’s ongoing trial of Alex Kwabena Safo Kantanka.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, December 3, the JSG explained that such transfers are part of an annual process or occur as circumstances require. The service emphasized that judges being transferred are required to finalize judgments in completed cases and to complete trials that are near resolution.
Highlighting standard protocols, the JSG noted that transferred judges must submit a Case Completion Plan to the Chief Justice’s office. This process enables the issuance of warrants allowing the judges to deliver pending judgments and rulings. Justice Ofori, who has been reassigned from Kumasi to Accra as part of 2024 legal year transfers, has adhered to these procedures. She submitted her Case Completion Plan on November 29, 2024, and has been authorized to conclude cases close to completion.
The JSG stressed that Justice Ofori’s transfer is one of many involving over 20 judges across various court levels and is not connected to any alleged interference in the judicial process. It urged the public to understand the operational framework governing judicial transfers.
Furthermore, the JSG called on the media to prioritize factual and balanced reporting, urging outlets to verify claims before publication to avoid misleading the public.
