Efua Benneh, grandmother of Justine Agbenu, one of the victims of the tragic East Legon accident, has called for amendments to Ghana’s Juvenile Justice Act 2003 (Act 653) to enforce stricter penalties for offenders under the law.
Her plea follows the sentencing of a 16-year-old boy involved in the fatal collision that claimed two lives.
The juvenile received a six-month sentence at the Senior Correctional Centre, the maximum penalty currently allowed for such cases under the existing law.
Speaking to journalists after the sentencing, Madam Benneh voiced her dissatisfaction with the verdict, describing it as insufficient given the gravity of the offence.
“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 remarked.
The incident has ignited a nationwide discussion about whether Ghana’s juvenile justice system should be revised to impose penalties that reflect the severity of offences like manslaughter and reckless driving.
While some advocate for stricter accountability measures, others emphasize maintaining the rehabilitative focus of juvenile justice.
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