Criminal Court Anticipates Unprecedented Efficiency Boost in 2026 Following Move to New Building

The Criminal Court has announced that its operations are expected to accelerate at an unprecedented pace in 2026 following its relocation to a new state-of-the-art facility. Chief Justice Adam Mohamed highlighted that 2025 marked a significant improvement after years of severe space constraints. On July 27, 2025, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu inaugurated the new Justice Building Annex, which now houses both the Criminal Court and the Drug Court. The move came after the previous building was ordered closed in 2023 due to structural damage, which had previously caused delays and hindered productivity. According to Chief Justice Mohamed, the disruption led to a sharp 55% decline in completed cases in 2023 compared to 2022. However, the transition to the new building has already shown positive results, with 1,380 cases decided in 2025, a 113% increase from 2024. The court’s monthly case resolution rate also surged by 140%, and its clearance rate now stands at 130%. Judge Ali Nadeem led the way, closing 302 cases alone. With 15 courtrooms, 17 judges’ rooms, and dedicated spaces for prosecutors and defense lawyers, the court anticipates clearing its backlog of pending cases within the year.