The Chief Justice, Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, has ordered the immediate re-opening of four courts in the Upper East Region.
They are High Court, Circuit Court, District Court, all inBolgatanga,and District Court at Bongo.
A statement signed by the Judicial Secretary, Cyra Pamela Koranteng, sighted by the Ghanaian Times, directed that, “Registrars of the above-mentioned Courts are kindly requested to take note and resume the operations of the Court accordingly.”
The Secretary said:” I refer to my memorandum dated October 29, 2024 informing you of the decision by the Chief Justice to close a number of Courts in the Upper East Region due to the conflict situation in Bawku.”
Last month, Chief Justice Torkornoo ordered the closure of seven courts in the region in the
wake of escalating violence in the chieftaincy-related conflict in the Bawkuarea.
The affected courts were the High, Circuit and District courts in Bolgatanga as well as District courts atZuarungu, Zebilla, Garu and Bongo, respectively.
The measure, the Chief Justice said, was to ensure the safety of judges, staff and court users.
The closure of the courts last month, followed heightened insecurity in the region as a result of a
deadly gunfire attack by unidentified gunmen who opened fire on travellers along theBolgatanga-Tamale Highway on Sunday, October 27, 2024.
In the sad incident, some people were killed while two vehicles were burnt, resulting in heightened fear in that area and Bawku.
Announcing the closure of the courts, the statement said,“In order to ensure the safety of judges, staff, lawyers and court users, the Chief Justice has ordered the closure of the affected courts with immediate effect until further notice”.
Additionally, the Ministry of the Interior has imposed curfew on Bawku, effective Monday, October 28, 2024, from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am daily, following renewed and deadly clashes in the area.
This means curfew hours in the area have been revised from 10 pm-6 am, to 6pm-6 am, from now onwards.
The decision was reached during an emergency meeting of the National Security Council, chaired by President Nana AddoDankwaAkufo-Addo, in response to escalating violence tied to a long-standing chieftaincy dispute in Bawku.
In a statement, the Ministry cited AlhajiSeiduAbagre’s continued presence as a significant threat to public safety and peace in Bawku, necessitating the curfew.
The renewed chieftaincy clash in Bawku, has left at least 20 people dead while many others suffered serious gunshot wounds.
Bawku come under intense violent attack after AlhajiAbagre, who was enskinned as the new Paramount Chief for Bawku by King of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, NaaBohaguMahamiAbdulaiSherigah II, returned to Bawku with heavy military escort, after nearly two years of his enskinment.
Already, the Circuit and District courts in Bawku had been closed since the conflict resumed in November, 2021, compelling residents in need of court services to resort to those in nearby districts.
