Forty-two-Courtroom complex ready by June

The High Courts in Accra will from October, 2015 move into a new modern courtroom complex located on the defunct Victoriaborg Press site, close to the Cocoa Affairs Court in Accra.

The 42-Courtroom Complex project, estimated at about $50 million, is being financed by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and executed by China Hualong Construction Limited.

The project, designed by Avangarde Design Services, would be a modern structure that would provide more comfortable premises for lawyers and judges to adjudicate cases.

The project, which is 92 per cent complete, has a Data Centre, a Bank, Clinic, Restaurant and Conference room.

The rest are witness waiting area, lawyer-client meeting room, library and Media briefing room.

The facility, which would accommodate other judicial staff, has seven lifts and a holding cell at the basement to keep accused persons there before their cases are called.

The public, whose cases are at the high court, would have to be scanned at the new building before entering the courtroom.

Mr Tony Yeboah Asare, the lead Consultant, Avangarde Design Services told Journalists during a tour of the facility that the project would be completed by June, this year.

He said when completed, the project would have a signage for the visual impaired, adding that, the new courtrooms would have a secretary attached to assist judges in their paper work.

Mr Joseph Adjoteye, the Director, Works, Judicial Service told the Ghana News Agency that the Service had gone into an agreement with SSNIT to build on the Land.

He said the Cocoa Affairs Court premises, which belonged to the Service had been handed over to SSNIT as replacement.

He said the Circuit Courts at Cocoa Affairs would move to the High Court building at the Supreme Court

Mrs Grace Tagoe, the Director, Communications, Judicial Service said the project was a five-year strategic plan of the Service to ensure access to justice.

She said it was a crime to pay monies to any court official for services rendered.

Mrs Tagoe therefore said all fees and monies should be paid to the bank and that every process fees served at the court had been approved by Parliament.

The move was instituted to halt corrupt practices of some court officials and also to save the image of the Service.