Accra Central District Courts closed down temporarily

The Accra Central District Courts were on Thursday closed down due to the dilapidated nature of its buildings.

A visit to the place around 0940 hours by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) revealed that court users were stranded, going back and forth without knowing exactly what to do since there was no prior notice of the decision.

The GNA noticed that almost all the buildings were in bad shape with some of the roofs coming off, some with cracked walls and with others the structures were almost near collapsed.

The main Motor Court which is one of the first of its kind in the country has its ceilings ripped off, the witness box was broken, and huge cracks in the building with rickety seats in the courtroom including the judge’s seat.

A source at the court informed the GNA that the situations in the courts were really bad and when it rains the entire place becomes flooded.

Some of the court users who were stranded also told the GNA that they came to court this morning only to realise that the place had been shut down.

Most of them said they did not know when their cases would be heard since there was no court official to talk to them.

The court users, however, told GNA that there were of the opinion that it was good the place had been closed down temporarily because their lives, as well as that of the workers in the building, were in danger.

Some of them said anytime they enter the court buildings it was their prayers that their cases would be called early so that they could leave the premises because they believe the building could collapse anytime soon.

The Chief Justice on her tour to the courts in the regions last year said it was the duty of the Assemblies to provide and maintain these courts, and if they continue to renegade on that, she will be compelled to close down all courts in bad shape.