The Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkor­noo has called on judges to embrace digital tools and knowledge to en­sure the adjudication of cybercrime cases.

According to her, despite the relevance of internet services to current development efforts, it had also provided the platform for mis­creants to pursue criminal activities that borders on the country’s safety and security.

This, she said required that judges build their capacity and skills about the internet and its governance to be able to deal with emerging cyber­crime cases.

Justice Torkornoo was opening a three-day introductory training on cybercrime and electronic evidence for judges in Accra, organised by the National Cybersecurity Author­ity (CSA) in collaboration with the European Union (EU) under its framework of Organised Crime West Africa Response on Cyberse­curity and Fight against Cybercrime.

    

It aimed at improving the skills of judges and prosecutors in the adjudication of cybercrime in the country.

Making a case for the deployment of technology in justice delivery and other sectors in general, she explained that the internet was a useful tool that had helped in en­hancing productivity and simplify­ing various aspects of human life.

Similarly, the Chief Justice said it had become an avenue for unscru­pulous persons to engage in crimi­nal activities such as financial fraud, cyber bullying and blackmailing.

“The internet has enabled crime on new levels. These cybercrimes are multifaceted and cross border in nature.

This requires that the judiciary is abreast with new tools to be able to deal with such cases. We also need to build the capacities of sever­al criminal justice actors such as Narcotics Control Board, Finance Intelligence Centre (FIC), among others, to be able to effectively play their roles,” she added.

The Director-General of the CSA, Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, said online blackmail, unautho­rised access, cyberbullying, and the publication of non-consensual intimate images were the leading threats online users in Ghana were exposed to.

According to the Bank of Ghana, he said the total loss value from cyber fraud increased from GH¢2.6 million in 2021 to GH¢4.3 million in 2022.

“Our country is not insulated from these threats. Current data gathered from the National Com­puter Emergency Response Team at the CSA has identified online fraud as a major threat in the Ghanaian digital space,” he said.

Despite the threat, he noted that administration of justice had been hampered by challenges in the consideration of electronic and forensic evidence and other complex technological issues involved in trial processes.

Dr Antwi-Boasiako said the CSA was committed to working together with the judiciary to ad­dress challenges with cybercrime cases prosecution such as territo­rial jurisdiction.

Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ghana, Massimo Mina commended for its efforts in the fight against cybercrime, adding that the EU would contin­ue to support the CSA to increase awareness and strengthen capac­ities.

The training, he said would help the participants to delved into various aspects of cybercrime, including the techniques em­ployed by cyber criminals and the challenges faced in collecting and presenting electronic evidence in courts.