Criminal Court, Drug Court to relocate to new building in Hulhumalé
A DJA official stated that preparations are under way to begin operations at the new building by 27 July.
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The new building designated to house the Criminal Court and the Drug Court is nearly complete and is scheduled to open this Sunday, according to the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA).
The facility, known as the Justice Building Annex, is being developed by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) in Hulhumalé, opposite Tree Top Hospital. Photos shared by HDC on social media earlier this month indicate that construction is at an advanced stage.
A DJA official stated that preparations are under way to begin operations at the new building by 27 July. The following arrangements have been confirmed:
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All divisions of the Criminal Court and Drug Court will relocate to the new premises.
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The building will contain 10 courtrooms to accommodate 11 sections of the Criminal Court.
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Five courtrooms will be allocated to the Drug Court.
"We are trying to open it on Sunday, the 27th of this month. We are not sure of a specific date. But it will be opened later this month. We expect the trials to be much faster than before," the official said.
The current premises of the Criminal Court, located in two former STO buildings in Maafannu, have long been deemed unsuitable.
In 2017, Gedo Pvt Ltd assessed the buildings and reported that they were not safe for use. Courtrooms often flood during rainfall, causing damage to equipment and disrupting proceedings. The four-storey building was officially discontinued in 2019.
At present, five divisions of the Criminal Court operate from the former Civil Court’s Hulhumalé Division building, while the remaining six divisions function from part of the existing Male’ court building.
