A District Court Complex at Breman in the Suame Municipality of the Ashanti Region has been commissioned.
Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Majority Leader, Leader of Government Business in Parliament and Member of Parliament (MP) for Suame, joined Mr. Justice Akwasi Annin Yeboah, the outgoing Chief Justice; Mr. Simon Osei Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, and Mr. Maxwell Ofosu Boakye, Municipal Chief Executive of Suame, to commission the District Court Complex.
The Suame lawmaker commended the Chief Justice for having the foresight to expand the administration and delivery of justice to the doorstep of the ordinary citizen.
He enumerated various projects that had taken place under the leadership of the Chief Justice, such as the over 100 new court buildings and the magnificent accommodation facilities for judges.
Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu singled out Mrs. Irene Naa Torshi, Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund, who accepted the challenge by the Chief Justice to build more court complexes, which consequently led to development of the formula to support the funding of such laudable initiative.
Chief Justice Annin Yeboah, while addressing the occasion, quoted the Local Service Act 2016, Act 936, as the foundation upon which the whole initiative was grounded.
He stated that justice delivery must reflect the needs of everyone, the poor and the rich, the young and the old, and urged the staff of the District Court to deliver equal justice to all without fear or favour.
He urged the public not to entertain any fears when reporting misconducts of any staff who may fall foul of the law in their line of duties.
The Chief Justice, who was accompanied by the Deputy Judicial Secretary, assured the Municipal Chief Executive and the chiefs that the court would now operate as a District Circuit Court.
He, however, gave the assurance that the Judicial Administration would not renege on its promise to include a Magistrate Court when space became available.
- Simon Osei Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, pleaded with the chiefs and opinion leaders within the Court’s jurisdiction not to interfere with the delivery of justice.
He said the interference from the chiefs and opinion leaders may tend to weaken the court if they continually pleaded for clemency on behalf of culprits standing trial before the court.
The Municipal Chief Executive of Suame, Maxwell Ofosu Boakye, congratulated all individuals whose combined efforts had yielded the complex.
The Municipal Chief Executive was particularly grateful to Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu for supporting the Chief Justice’s bold initiative with his share of the District Assembly Common Fund.
He also extended the same gratitude to his predecessor, Professor Osei Bobbie Boahen, during whose tenure of office the project started.
Nana Kotei Kutin Sraman II, Bremanghene, expressed his appreciation to the Chief Justice and the Majority Leader for their efforts which started some three to four years ago.
He referred to some prevailing offenses within the jurisdiction of the court and requested that the Chief Justice put such minor offenses into consideration when deciding on the status of the newly inaugurated Court.
The occasion was graced by various heads of departments within municipality, including the District Commander of the Ghana Police Service, the Municipal Fire Officer, the Municipal Coordinating Director, staff of the Judicial Service, Assembly Members of the Suame Municipality, staff of the Assembly and the public.
