Supreme Court nominee Justice Philip Bright Mensah has suggested that judges posted to illegal mining (galamsey) hotspots should be trained in Chinese to better handle cases involving non-English-speaking foreign nationals, particularly Chinese nationals.
Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Justice Mensah argued that the language barrier poses a major obstacle to effective prosecution of foreigners involved in galamsey.
“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.”
While acknowledging the role of interpreters in court proceedings, Justice Mensah noted that translation inaccuracies can distort legal outcomes.
“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,” he added.
His comments came in response to questions on the judiciary’s capacity to deal with rising cases of illegal mining involving foreign nationals.
Although Ghana’s mining laws are strict, Justice Mensah acknowledged public concerns about weak enforcement, especially in cases involving foreigners. His proposal, if implemented, could mark a shift in how the judiciary tackles the complex intersection of language, law, and transnational crime.
