1. Contrary to reports by a section of the media, the Judicial Service began the Saturday week-end courts sittings in Accra last Saturday, 5th April, 2008 at the premises of the District and Juvenile Courts near the Ministries. Judges and Magistrates, as well as other officials including the staff of the Judicial Service of Ghana, were present at the scheduled time and the Courts dealt with the cases that were put before them.

2. One hundred (100) cases were mentioned and adjourned for hearing to start on 12th April 2008.The cases were adjourned to enable the prosecutors and court officials to serve hearing notices for the next sittings of the Courts.

3. It is scheduled that the courts sit from 9:00a.m to 2:00p.m every Saturday, to deal with specific cases such as Domestic Violence, Revenue and other monetary claims by state agencies. Five courts- two Circuit and three Magistrate- out of the 57 Courts in Accra are involved in the sittings. Depending on its success, the exercise will be extended to the other regions.

4. The object on the Saturday week-end Court sittings is to clear the backlog of cases before the Courts which is a source of worry and concern, not only to the Judicial Service but to the people who access the courts.

5. Her Ladyship The Chief Justice is spear-heading a series of measures to address the problem of backlog of cases. The number of Courts and Judges/Magistrates is to be increased.

6. The operation of the week-end courts is being done under Order 79 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004 (C.I.470) which allows any day including vacations to be appointed for the hearing of causes or matters as circumstances require, and section 31 of the courts and ordinance (CAP4), which allows any day to be appointed for sittings at the Lower Courts.

(Abdullah Iddrisu)
Acting Judicial Secretary