Coronavirus outbreak: Adjourn all court cases to May - CJ orders judiciary

Justice Yeboah said all cases must be moved to May in order for the country to enforce its measures to halt the spread of coronavirus.

The new directives according to the CJ, has become necessary “to ensure that the Courts are sufficiently decongested” in accordance with the social distancing directives issued by President Nana Akufo-Addo on March 15 as part of measures to stem the spread of the covid-19 in Ghana.

“We are operating in very unusual times with no precedents to guide us,” he said, but said it is key ensure that the needs of the citizenry for justice are adequately satisfied.

Consequent to that, lawyers with cases in court have been asked to go to court on their due dates without their clients, and request for the case to be adjourned to specific dates in May, June and July.

“Alternatively, lawyers on both sides of a case may agree together to adjourn the matter to a specific date to be communicated to the Registrar in writing, thus avoiding the need to travel to the Court for that purpose,” a statement issued by the chief justice advised.

Judges and magistrates have further been directed to ensure that in cases currently being heard, “only lawyers, parties and their witnesses are allowed in Court”.