President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday, inaugurated new premises for the Criminal and Drug Courts, a project designed to alleviate the current space constraints until the Superior Court Complex in Hulhumale’ is completed.
The complex, developed near Treetop Hospital in Hulhumale’ Phase One, has multiple courtrooms equipped with required facilities to conduct trials and will function as an annex to the Justice Building for the Drug Court and Criminal Court.
The complex was officially inaugurated by President Dr Muizzu during a ceremony with the Chief Judicial Administrator Amjad Musthafa, Attorney General Ahmed Usham and Judicial Service Commission Hussain Riza along with the recently retired Chief Justice Muthassim Adnan.
During the ceremony, a plaque was presented to the President on behalf of the Department of Judicial Administration by the Chief Judicial Administrator to commemorate the occasion.
The complex will have 15 fully equipped courtrooms and will house 17 judges, five from the Criminal Court and the remaining dozen from the Drug Court, along with judges’ chambers and special allocations for prosecutors and defense lawyers.
The first hearing at the new complex on a remand case has been scheduled for 4:30 pm on Sunday.
Delivering the Presidential Address earlier this year, the President highlighted that delays in hearings and issuing verdicts are among the greatest challenges faced by the judicial system. The new Hulhumale’ Superior Court Complex aims to address these issues, with the President pledging to commence its construction within the year.
The government is also working on necessary legal reforms to ensure that the judiciary, one of the three branches of the State, remains a trusted pillar of the nation.