Private legal practitioner and social commentator, Lawyer Martin Kpebu, has called for the abolition of in-camera hearings in Ghana’s judicial system.
An in-camera hearing, also known as an in-chambers hearing, is a legal proceeding held privately, away from the public and media, typically to protect sensitive information or vulnerable individuals.
According to Mr. Kpebu, the practice is outdated and undermines transparency and accountability, which are crucial pillars of Ghana’s evolving democracy.
Speaking on Accra-based TV3’s New Day programme on Thursday, June 26, he argued that such secretive proceedings no longer serve the interest of a democratic society.
“The in-camera hearing is not good for our democracy at all. We’ve grown. When it was introduced, I hear it was about 33 years ago—but now we have evolved as a people, and we are still evolving. We are getting refined day by day,” he said.
“Right now, it is no longer good for us because we want accountability. So, if the Chief Justice is being held accountable, we should see it. In the past, you couldn’t even talk about the Judiciary—but now we’ve grown. For accountability purposes, this in-camera hearing has to go.”
Mr. Kpebu added that once a judge takes office, the public has every right to follow their actions to ensure justice is served without bias or cover-ups.
“I’m also a lawyer, so why is it that if my classmate, now a judge, does something wrong, we shouldn’t see how it’s dealt with? No. Let’s all see how it’s being handled in court. When proceedings are kept secret, it’s not conducive to accountability,” Kpebu stressed.
His comments come in the wake of proceedings involving Chief Justice Gertrude Esaaba Torkonoo, who is currently the subject of a committee of inquiry following petitions for her removal.
The Chief Justice, who was suspended in April, had earlier expressed support for making the hearings public.
However, an application filed before the Supreme Court, raising concerns of procedural abuse, was subsequently struck out.
