A private legal practitioner, Kwame Adofo, has said that the family of the victims in the East Legon accident has every right to be unhappy with the ruling, but the law has spoken.
Mr. Adofo stated that if the victims’ family or anyone else is dissatisfied with the outcome, they have the right to pursue a case, but he cautioned that the ruling is likely to stand.
“The law has been made, and there’s little they can do about it. The family complaining also has a case, but the law has spoken,” he said.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, he further suggested that the issue lies with lawmakers.
“We should be talking to our Members of Parliament to make laws that can change this. It’s not about complaining now, but about working to amend the law so that future cases don’t end in such unsatisfactory rulings. If we fail to make laws that amend these outdated regulations, it will always go against us as citizens. The MPs have failed us in this regard by not bringing these issues to our attention,” he stated.
The case stems from the tragic accident in East Legon, in which 16-year-old Justine Agbenu lost her life, and another victim also passed away.
The juvenile responsible for the fatal collision was sentenced to six months at the Senior Correctional Centre, the maximum penalty permitted under the current Juvenile Justice Act of 2003 (Act 653).
However, lawyer Adofo stated that if the family decides to appeal this ruling, it may not be successful, but the family can still pursue civil remedies against the parents of the offender to seek compensation.
While some advocate for harsher penalties, others emphasize the importance of maintaining a rehabilitative approach to juvenile justice.
Source: Adomonline