The West Gonja municipal commander of the Ghana Police Service Supt Johnson Hessey has advised traditional leaders to stop interfering in criminal cases against their subjects.
Hessey called on the chiefs to stop settling criminal cases such as rape, kidnapping and robbery at their palaces.
The commander made this appeal days after Ghana’s chief justice, Anin Yeboah commissioned a new circuit court complex in Damongo of the Savannah region.
“I will plead with the traditional authorities that criminal cases cannot be settled at the chief palace. When a criminal case is sent to court and a chief is interfering, it is preventing the laws of Ghana to work,” Supt Hessey said.
“Courts make people to be aware of certain things, they will not be ignorant,” he added.
The new circuit will bring justice delivery closer to the people of Damongo. The police used to travel about 98 kilometres to Bole or Tamale for court hearings.