HONOURABLE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA SCR 176 16™ MARCH 2020 PRESS RELEASE IJUDICIARY’S STEPS TO PREVENT SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN COURTS NATIONWIDE Following the directive of His Excellency the President for measures to be put in place by institutions to combat the spread of COVID-19, the following arrangements have been made by the Judiciary, whilst the courts continue to operate: 2 o = 2 . Courts will practice strict case management techniques such that only parties and witnesses in cases listed to be heard on particular dates would be allowed into the court room to avoid large gatherings. Judges and Magistrates should endeavour to adjourn cases to specific times on given dates, to limit the number of people that will be allowed into the court room. Cause lists should be reduced drastically for few ~cases to be listed for hearing. . Judges and Magistrates should only hear cases which are of extreme urgency and as far as possible, exercise great restraint in remanding accused persons, in order to avoid overcrowding the prisons and police cells. |. Judges and Magistrates should suspend the hearing of cases involving the movement of convicted and remand prisoners from the prisons to the Courts. In criminal appeals the Courts should dispense with the appearance of the appellants who are in prison custody. . Sanitizers are being provided for Court Users and arrangements are being made to have the court rooms regularly disinfected. Judicial Service of Ghana (Headquarters) | Law Cours Buldings, Supreme Court, High treet. | P.O. Box 139, cera Ghana Tel. +233 302 685282 / 661801, Email: chefustice@judicialgough | Website: wawJudicialgoxgh