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Madam Georgina Theodora Wood, the Chief Justice, has appealed to chiefs to desist from using their offices to settle criminal matters.

She said cases like rape, robbery, defilements and the use of offensive weapons are felonies that attract custodial sentences and should be handled by the courts and not chiefs and opinion leaders.

Chief Justice Wood made the appeal in a speech read on her behalf by Mr Justice Denis Adjei, an Appeal Court Judge, at the inauguration of a Circuit and District Magistrate Court at Odupongkpehe Ofaako in Awutu-Senya East Municipality.

The project was funded by DANIDA.

She said people who allegedly indulged in criminal acts should be put before the courts for prosecution.

“The main essence of setting up of courts is to ensure expeditious settling of cases to help bring sanity in the society,” she said.

The Chief Justice advised the staff who were going to work at the facility to live up to expectation by ensuring that they issued out receipts of payments to people who filed their documents for litigation.

She urged the public to report any court official who would fail to issue out receipts to the authorities.

The Chief Justice commended the chiefs for releasing the land for the construction of the courts and appealed to them to continue to contribute their quota for purpose for which the facility was established.

Dr Adams Nuhu, the Awutu-Senya East Municipal Chief Executive, said high population growth had a link with the high incidence of crime and expressed the hope that the provision of the facility would go a long way to help reduce criminal activities.

Nai Awoshie Tetteh, the Chief of Odupongkpehe Ofaako commended the government for the honour done the area and gave the assurance that they are ever ready to release land for the construction of a municipal hospital and other projects.

Abokuadi Wyettey Agyeman Otabil III, the Paramount Chief of Awutu Traditional area chaired the ceremony.