The Accra Central District Court complex have been closed down temporarily due to the dilapidated nature of its buildings.
Users of the court were on Thursday morning left stranded as they went back and forth without knowing exactly what to do because there was no prior notice of the decision to close down the place, which houses eight district courts.
Located behind the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, almost all the courtroom buildings are in bad shape with some of the roofs coming off and others with visible cracked walls while some of the structures are near collapsed.
The main Motor Court has its ceilings ripped off and the witness box broken, with huge cracks in the building that is filled with rickety seats in the court room including the judge’s seat.
The building which was constructed in 1992 originally as a regional tribunal, has not undergone any major renovation.
A source revealed Thursday that the situations in the courts were bad to the extent that whenever it rains, the entire place becomes flooded.
Some of the stranded users told the Ghana News Agency that they came to court only to find that the place had been shut down.
Most of them said they did not know when their cases would be heard since there was no court official to talk to them as at 9:40am.
The court users however told GNA that there were of the opinion that it was good the place had been closed down temporarily because their lives as well as that of the workers in the building were in danger.
Some of them said anytime they enter the court buildings it was their prayers that their cases would be called early so that they could leave the premises because they believe the building could collapsed anytime soon.
The Chief Justice on her tour to the courts in the regions last year said it was the duty of the Assemblies to provide and maintain these courts, and if they continue to renege on that responsibilty, she will be compelled to close down all courts in bad shape.
By GNA with additional files by 3news.com|Ghana