The Chief Justice has directed the immediate closure of the Kwame Danso District Court following a violent mob attack that disrupted proceedings and endangered the lives of judicial staff on Wednesday, December 10.
A circular issued by the Judicial Service on Thursday, December 12, and signed by Deputy Judicial Secretary for the Northern Sector, Justice Frederick Tetteh, instructed the Regional Administrative Officer for the Bono East Region to shut down the court “temporarily from today… until further notice.”
The directive follows a chaotic incident in which an estimated 100 youth stormed the court while a session was in progress, vandalising property, attacking individuals present, and forcibly freeing two accused persons who were standing trial.
According to police reports, the group raided the courtroom around 10:30 am, destroyed furniture and equipment, and assaulted the complainant in the case. The violence later escalated to the Kwame Danso District Police Headquarters, where two officers were injured and parts of the facility vandalised.
Reinforcement teams from the Atebubu Division and the Formed Police Units were deployed to restore calm.
The Inspector-General of Police has since ordered the temporary closure of both the Police Station and the District Police Headquarters, with personnel reassigned for safety.
The Bono East Regional Police Command says calm has now been restored and investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest all perpetrators involved in the attacks.
Meanwhile, the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) has condemned the incident, describing it as a “barbaric and unacceptable assault” on the country’s justice system.
In a statement signed by its National President, Samuel Afotey Otu, the association warned that repeated attacks on court facilities pose great danger to judicial personnel and threaten the administration of justice.
JUSAG called on the Ghana Police Service to ensure swift arrests and urged government to strengthen security across court premises nationwide.
It also cautioned that it may advise members to withdraw their services in areas deemed unsafe if such attacks persist.
The Chief Justice’s directive has been copied to key judicial officers, including the Judicial Secretary, Supervising High Court Judge for the Bono East Region, and judges within the Atebubu jurisdiction.
Authorities say the closure is to protect court staff and the public while investigations continue.
The Police Command has assured residents that those responsible will “face the full consequences of the law.”
