Chief Justice Abdul Ghani Mohamed has said judiciary will give top priority this year to resolving cases that have been pending for more than a year, describing the move as essential to ensuring timely justice and strengthening public confidence in the courts.
The Chief Justice made the remarks while delivering the annual Judicial Statement at the inauguration of the Judicial Year 2026. In his address, He thanked the government for efforts to safeguard the judiciary from external influence and outlined measures under way to further strengthen judicial administration.
He said judges, including those serving in the courts, have worked tirelessly to fulfil their duty to administer justice despite long-standing challenges. These obstacles, he said, stemmed largely from years of insufficient attention and prioritisation of the judicial sector.
The Chief Justice noted that President Dr Mohamed Muizzu had taken swift action after concerns were raised, including allocating a fixed percentage of state revenue to the judiciary to help ensure its independence. He also welcomed recent improvements to judicial staff salaries and steps taken to address space constraints within the court system.
He said it was encouraging that work on a new court complex is expected to begin this year, describing it as a positive development for the judiciary.
Despite past challenges, the Chief Justice said judges and court staff continue to carry out their responsibilities with dedication. He noted that around 21,000 cases are expected to be filed this year, and said the judiciary is committed to ensuring justice is delivered effectively across the caseload.
“Justice must be delivered without delay,” he said. “Delayed justice is denied justice. There are already cases that have been delayed for various reasons, and one of our most important goals this year is to focus on resolving those cases,” said the chief justice.
As per the chief justice, 1,332 cases across various courts have been pending for more than a year. He said a special task force will be formed to identify the obstacles preventing their resolution and to recommend solutions.
He said the overarching aim is to build a strong, independent and accountable judiciary by the end of the year.