Officials want courthouse for villages

Highlands

VILLAGE court officials at West Kambia in the Lower Nebliyer local level government of Western Highlands want another village courthouse built.
Chairman Tapura Goiwa said that since 1975, village court officials had been using a small building built from bushmaterial for a courthouse at Kikwe village.
Goiwa and the 13 magistrates paid locals K200 on Monday to build a new courthouse.
Goiwa said the needs of village court officials should be properly addressed.
“We request the provincial and district authorities to provide us with another village courthouse,” he said.
“The population of the area has increased and the distance is so far that magistrates and clerks find it very difficult to move around.
“Some walk 10 kilometres to hear cases.
“We also request that a permanent village courthouse is built.
“We have been using a small bush-material courthouse since 1975.”
Paraka Kekuwe ward councillor John Anda said the concerns raised by the village court officials were genuine.
“They are the frontline lawyers who solve disputes and restore peace in the communities,” he said.