JUSAG Calls for Urgent Court Security Overhaul After Violent Mob Attack in Kwame Danso
JUSAG urges nationwide court security overhaul following violent mob attack at Kwame Danso District Court
- Armed assailants stormed Kwame Danso District Court, freeing accused persons and vandalizing property
- JUSAG calls for stronger nationwide court security and screening measures to protect staff and litigants
- Court staff advised to stay away until adequate security is guaranteed, amid trauma and safety risks
The General Secretary of the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG), Abdulai Yakubu, has called on authorities to strengthen security at courts nationwide to protect judges, staff, and litigants.
His appeal follows a violent incident at the Kwame Danso District Court, where a mob stormed the courtroom during proceedings, forcibly freeing accused persons in the case of The Republic vs. Isaac Kwabena Mintah and Two Others, involving charges of unlawful damage, stealing, and assault under Act 29.
In an interview on Thursday, December 11, Yakubu criticized the Police Service for failing to act on intelligence that could have prevented the attack. He noted that the same group had previously attacked the local police station.
Yakubu emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of security protocols across all courts, urging administrators and security agencies to implement screening measures and stronger preventive systems.
“We need to revise our protocols to ensure that people are screened before entering courtrooms. While devices exist at the Court Complex and the Supreme Court, regional courts prone to attacks should adopt similar security checks,” he said.
JUSAG has also urged Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to temporarily close the Kwame Danso District Court following Wednesday’s attack. According to the association, the mob—armed with dangerous objects—disrupted proceedings, vandalized court property, and forced staff to flee for safety. Some workers reportedly locked themselves in their offices as attackers tried to break into the magistrate’s chambers. Order was restored only after reinforcements arrived from the Atebubu Police Unit.
The association warned that the magistrate and staff remain traumatized and unsafe, stressing that the rising attacks on judicial institutions threaten the administration of justice. In the interim, JUSAG has advised Kwame Danso court staff to stay away from work until adequate security is guaranteed.
