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District / Circuit Court

Criminal trial (summary)

Summary criminal proceedings from charge and plea through prosecution case to verdict and sentence.

Timeline runs from
Date of first appearance
Primary rules
Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act 1960 (Act 30) · 1992 Constitution art. 14, 19
Apply this roadmap to a case

Governing instruments

  • Act 30Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (1960)

    Charge, plea, bail, disclosure, summary and indictable trial, verdict and sentence.

    Binds: District Court · Circuit Court · High Court (criminal)

  • 1992 ConstitutionConstitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992 (1992)

    Fundamental rights affecting arrest, bail, fair trial and the supervisory jurisdiction of the High Court.

    Binds: All courts

Stage by stage

  1. 01

    First appearance, charge and plea

    Court · Act 30 ss.117-124; Constitution art. 14(3) · day 0

    Accused must be put before a court within 48 hours of arrest. Take instructions on plea.

    Time limit: An arrested person must be brought before a court within 48 hours (art. 14(3)).

    Authority: Constitution 1992 art. 14(3)

    Assemble: Charge sheet, Statement of the accused

  2. 02

    Bail application

    Defendant / Respondent · Act 30 ss.96-104 as amended; Constitution art. 14(4) · day 1

    Move for bail with sureties ready; challenge excessive conditions promptly.

    Time limit: Bail may be applied for at any stage; refusal is appealable.

    Authority: Martin Kpebu v Attorney-General (No 2) [2016] (all offences bailable)

    Assemble: Bail application, Surety documents

    Official cost: Motion with affidavit — GH₵90.00 (C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. III) · Bail bond and recognisance — GH₵50.00 (C.I. 86 Sch. 2 — criminal process)

  3. 03

    Disclosure of prosecution material

    Court · Act 30 s.180; Constitution art. 19(2)(e)-(g) · day 21

    Obtain witness statements, exhibits and any expert or forensic report relied on.

    Time limit: Disclosure before the prosecution opens (Act 30 s.180; art. 19(2)(g)).

    Proceeding to trial without full disclosure on the record.

  4. 04

    Prosecution case

    Court · Act 30 ss.166-173 · day 60

    Cross-examine on inconsistencies between statements and testimony.

  5. 05

    Submission of no case / defence opens

    Defendant / Respondent · Act 30 s.173 · day 90

    Where a prima facie case is not made out, submit no case to answer before opening a defence.

    Authority: State v Ali Kassena [1962] 1 GLR 144 (no case submission)

  6. 06

    Addresses, verdict and sentence

    Court · Act 30 ss.174-179, 294-296 · day 120

    Prepare mitigation in advance. Appeal windows run from the date of sentence.

Official court costs are drawn from the C.I. 86 (2014) as amended — schedule v1 schedule and are recovered from the client at cost, separately from professional fees. Registries assess some charges per page or per mile.

This roadmap is a planning aid, not legal advice. Rules are amended and the court may give directions that displace these defaults — always verify against the cited rule.

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