ACCRA – Justice Philip Bright Mensah, a nominee for the Supreme Court, has proposed that judges presiding over illegal mining cases in affected areas receive Chinese language training.
Speaking before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Justice Mensah stated that language barriers pose a significant challenge in prosecuting foreign nationals, particularly Chinese individuals, involved in “galamsey” (illegal mining).
Justice Mensah highlighted that when arrested,
Chinese nationals often do not speak English, or refuse to, making it difficult for police and enforcement agencies to secure effective prosecutions. He noted that the lack of proficient interpreters in court proceedings frequently hinders the delivery of justice and allows offenders to evade consequences. “So if the Judge himself understands the language, it will be better served for him to understand what he is doing for us to be able to curb the menace of galamsey,” he asserted.
To overcome this obstacle, Justice Mensah recommended that either the Judicial Training Institute (JTI) be adequately resourced to offer Chinese language instruction locally, or that Ghanaian judges be sent to China for language studies. He emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue, stating that without the ability to prosecute offenders due to language barriers, efforts to combat illegal mining are severely undermined.
Culled from CNR
