Mombasa law courts. [Photo/payne-james.co.uk]
Mombasa county is set with the construction of a Sh445 million modern law courts building to be named Justice Towers, the delayed dispensation of justice is expected to ease.
The four-story building will have the capacity to handle more than 3,000 court users daily with the number of judicial officers expected to increase. New court building will be set up on 1.47 hectare of land recently returned to the Judiciary after a protracted court battle.
It had illegally been acquired by a private developer in 2012 and was handed over to the Judiciary recently after the National Land Commission (NLC) revoked the allocation. Construction of the new ultra-modern building had stalled for six years after it was grabbed by a businessman.
The World Bank is funding the project. The current facility was built in 1984, with 12 courtrooms as the number of magistrates stands at 16 with six judges. The new building will house judicial officers who are forced to work and hear cases from their chambers due to the limited space at the law courts.
Early last year, Chief Justice David Maraga acknowledged the hardship Mombasa court users and judicial officers go through, having to contend with congested courtrooms that lack air conditioning despite the high temperatures at the Coast. Mombasa Chief magistrate Evans Makori says construction work has begun and the building will be ready in 18 months.
It will be a milestone for the Judiciary and Mombasa court users because it will have enough space to accommodate everyone,” says Makori.
The building will house all divisions of the High Court and lower courts located in separate areas of the county. Makori revealed that with the provision of new technology, the public will use digital technology to monitor the progress of their cases instead of relying on court clerks and lawyers for updates.
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