- Grandma seeks justice reform
- 16-year-old gets 6-month sentence
- Nation debates stricter penalties
Efua Benneh, the grandmother of Justine Agbenu, one of the victims of the tragic East Legon accident, has called for changes to Ghana’s Juvenile Justice Act 2003 (Act 653) to impose stricter penalties on offenders under the law. Her plea follows the recent sentencing of a 16-year-old boy involved in the fatal accident that resulted in the deaths of two people.
The juvenile was sentenced to a six-month term at the Senior Correctional Centre, which is the maximum penalty currently allowed under the existing law for such cases. However, Benneh expressed her dissatisfaction with the verdict, deeming it too lenient given the severity of the offense.
“I hope that measures can be taken to change the law. It is unacceptable that someone can cause the deaths of two people through reckless driving and receive such a light sentence,” she said, speaking to journalists after the sentencing.
The tragic incident has sparked a nationwide debate regarding the effectiveness of Ghana’s juvenile justice system. Advocates for reform are calling for more stringent penalties, particularly for offenses like manslaughter and reckless driving. On the other hand, some emphasize the need to preserve the rehabilitative focus of the juvenile justice system, which aims to help young offenders reintegrate into society.
