Supreme Court nominee Justice Philip Bright Mensah has called for the training of judges, particularly those in illegal mining hotspots, to be in the Chinese language to overcome communication barriers when presiding over cases involving Chinese nationals.
He proposed this when he appeared before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
He indicated that several foreign nationals arrested for engaging in illegal mining activities do not speak English, thereby complicating the prosecution process.
“When these foreigners are arrested, they either do not understand English or refuse to speak it, making prosecution difficult,” he told the committee.
“If judges understand Chinese, we will not need to rely heavily on interpreters, who sometimes introduce their own complications.”
He added that “It is not just about language. It is also about the accuracy of what is being said and whether the interpretation is trustworthy. If a judge understands what the accused person is saying directly, it improves the process’’.
His comments were in response to questions posed during his vetting about the judiciary’s handling of cases involving foreign nationals involved in illegal mining.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
