High Court criminal trials will soon be heard in Nasinu

High Court criminal trials will soon be heard in Nasinu with the newly developed and proposed Nasinu Courthouse.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony for the new proposed Courthouse, Chief Justice Anthony Gates says this will have 4 courtrooms including Magistrates Chambers and other support offices with 4 Tribunal rooms.

Chief Justice Gates says the proposed courthouse includes a Magistrates Common Room, a Library, storage space, archive room, server room, audio/ visual room, an assessors room, 2 exhibit rooms, witness room, 8 cell blocks, a sick bay, service yard and a car park.

He says as Nasinu Town grows, its services have to expand.

Chief Justice Gates says previously this courthouse was to be a Magistrates Court solely, but now at least 2 courtrooms will be made multi functional so that a High Court Criminal Trial could also take place.

He says other tribunals such as the Employment Relations Tribunal and the Tax Tribunal will now be able to hear cases in Nasinu now.

Chief Justice Gates says this will cut out unnecessary travel for those along the corridor between Suva to Nausori.

Meanwhile the Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says this is part of government’s plan with a view of bringing government services closer to the people.

Sayed-Khaiyum says that now under the 2013 Constitution, the judiciary is also given financial and administrative independence while previously those who worked in the Judiciary fell under the public service rules and were driven by the Public Service Commission.