Supreme Court judge nominee Justice Philip Bright Mensah has put forth a unique and bold recommendation to combat the menace of illegal mining, locally known as 'galamsey'.
During his vetting before Parliament's Appointments Committee on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Justice Mensah suggested that judges presiding over galamsey-related cases, especially those involving foreign nationals, should receive training in the Chinese language.
Justice Mensah highlighted the significant challenge posed by foreign nationals, particularly Chinese individuals, who are often involved in illegal mining activities but face difficulties in prosecution due to language barriers. "When they are arrested, especially these Chinese people, when they are arrested and sent to the court, the difficulty is that they don't speak English.
Even if they can understand English, they refuse to speak English," he explained.
