A private legal practitioner, Lawyer Peter Yeboah, has stressed that access to justice in Ghana should not depend on a person’s financial status, saying every accused person is entitled to a fair trial under the 1992 Constitution.
He said the constitutional right to a fair hearing was guaranteed to all persons, irrespective of their economic circumstances.
Lawyer Yeboah made the remarks when he spoke on Mmara no se sɛn, a legal education segment on Denkyiraman Radio’s National Agenda programme on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
He explained that Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution guaranteed every accused person the right to a fair trial, including the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the right to legal representation, adequate time to prepare a defence and the right to be informed of the charges in a language that the person understood.
On bail, Lawyer Yeboah said all offences were bailable under Ghanaian law, although the granting of bail depended on the circumstances of each case and the discretion of the court.
He cautioned against treating bail as a cash payment system, stressing that accused persons should not be kept in police custody for more than 48 hours without being brought before a court.
He advised members of the public not to respond to police allegations without the presence or advice of a lawyer.
According to him, suspects had a constitutional right to legal representation and should exercise that right before making statements to the police.
Lawyer Yeboah also urged accused persons to obtain copies of their statements and the statements outlining the alleged offences before appearing in court to enable them to adequately prepare their defence and understand the case against them.
He acknowledged that many poor and vulnerable Ghanaians faced significant challenges in accessing justice, particularly because they could not afford private legal representation or meet bail conditions.
He, however, noted that the Legal Aid Commission existed to provide legal assistance to persons who were unable to afford legal representation.
Lawyer Yeboah said poverty should never become a barrier to justice and called for greater public education on constitutional rights and increased support for legal aid services to ensure that indigent persons were not denied justice because of their financial circumstances.
The discussion formed part of Mmara no se sɛn, Denkyiraman Radio’s legal awareness programme aimed at educating listeners on their constitutional rights and responsibilities.
