The Police are therefore compelled to keep suspects including; armed robbers in courtrooms until the courts end their sittings.

Additionally, Police prosecutors do not have any office to hold conferences with complainants and litigants.

These concerns came to light, when Ms Sophia A. Akuffo, the Chief Justice visited the Courts in Tema during a Greater Accra Region tour to the courts.

Some of the judges lamented lack of washrooms in the chambers and the lack of space to keep dockets, while some of the courtrooms leaked and did not have disability friendly facilities on the premises.

Most of the court room floors were damaged and needed tiles, while the District courts needed louvre blades and burglar proofs.

Mrs Rita Agyeman-Budu a High Court Judge said she was always escorted through the audience before visiting the only public washroom on the court premises.

Ms Akuffo appealed to the Tema Metropolitan Assembly to provide modern cells for the courts in Tema adding “don’t build cages for the inmates, we need modern cells for the courts.’’ 

She also tasked the Assembly’s Engineer to provide the necessary infrastructure for courts and pay attention to some defects on the court buildings.

“As a public building you need to put up disability friendly structures in place,” she added.

Mr Maxwell Adu-Boateng, Tema Metropolitan Engineer said estimates would be raised by the Assembly to rectify all defects.