Welcome, dear reader!

For this series, we will visit a certain courthouse and get into the lives of those who work there. This should be quite a journey, and a bit of insight into how things work in court. You’ll definitely enjoy this. Let’s get it moving, shall we?

Monday morning.

A new day, a new week. A new opportunity for justice to be administered in the Republic.

The regular order of business for the day at the Sowutuom Circuit Court.

7:50 am was the time when the door to the courtroom opened, and in stepped one of the workers in this court. The popular light-skinned, balding guy with a full beard and a jovial disposition that always lightened up the place before serious business got underway. The interpreter Wayne Smith.

“Good morning,” he greeted his colleagues seated at the table in front of the judge’s area.

The two gentlemen seated there lifted their heads from the files they were busily perusing and greeted him back. And so did the chocolate-skinned lady stationed behind the computer at the right side of the room.

A standard morning in this Court. And the standard order of things.

Elias Damanera and Divine Dzamesi were the two court clerks seated before the judge’s sitting area, responsible for the proper placement of court dockets and making sure the day’s cases were called. Natalie Adeko was the typist, seated at the right side of the court, who ensured all proceedings of the court were typed out and printed for the necessary reference. Wayne Smith was the court interpreter who assisted non-English speakers with an understanding of whatever questions or orders the Court had. His adept knowledge of Twi, Fante, Ga, and Ewe made him more than competent for the role. He usually sat with Elias and Divine.

There was also Sulemana Osman, the court bailiff who had the task of sending various court processes to litigants and lawyers alike. Nana Adjei Appiah was the police officer assigned to the court to ensure order was maintained at all times. Nothing ground his gears more than when somebody’s phone rang during court hours; especially after both Elias and Divine had issued strong reminders to all to either switch off their phones or put them on silent mode.

Angelina Mensah was the registrar of the court, the one in charge of the court affairs. Having served in that capacity since the court was inaugurated four years ago, she was well-versed in dealing with the affairs of the court.

And of course, the judge himself: His Honour, Justice Mr. Paul Kwarteng Takyi. A judge with equal amounts of strictness and kindness, who always did his best to ensure that inasmuch as his court was not a place to be feared, it certainly was not a place where any sort of unacceptable behaviour would be tolerated.

This was the unit that worked together to ensure the residents of that small part of the country got the justice they deserved and sought.

At 8:35 am, His Honour arrived at the court premises and was immediately attended to by Nana Appiah and another court worker. He went to his chambers, ready to briefly skim through the cases for the day. After twenty minutes of doing same, he called Elias into the chambers and gave him those files to take into the courtroom.

Five minutes later, having robed up, there was a knock on the door. In stepped Divine, seeking to find out if the judge was ready.

As His Honour nodded to affirm his readiness for the day’s activities, Divine stepped out. Standing in front of the door, he made the regular announcements.

“Please, all phones should either be switched off, or put on silent!”

Repeating this order in Twi, he then added, “Court ready!”

As those seated in the pews, the lawyers present and the other court workers rose to their feet, he banged on the door three times. Then he opened the door.

Out stepped His Honour Paul Kwarteng Takyi, majestically draped in his long black robe, with his pigtail wig firmly placed on his head. As he moved to his seat, Divine called out loud.

“His Honour, the Circuit Court judge.”

Justice Paul bowed before the people, who bowed back to him. He then took his seat, as all followed suit.

Time for another day of administration of the law.

***

1:00 pm.

The day had run by, with a number of motions moved, criminal cases heard, and adjournments given. And the last trial for the day had just reached its one-hour limit. It was time for the court to call it a day.

“Very well. The case is hereby adjourned to 4th September 2022 for further cross-examination of the plaintiff by counsel for the defendant,” Justice Paul announced to the lawyer on his feet at the Bar.

As Elias stood up and went for the docket, Justice Paul asked him, “That’s the last case, right?”

“Yes, My Lord,” Elias responded.

“Good. We’re done, then.”

“Yes, please.”

Elias then faced the courtroom and announced, “COURT RISE!”

The lawyers and other people present rose to their feet as Justice Paul stood up, bowed to them, and immediately moved into his chambers. Now the judge could relax a bit before proceeding to his house to get the necessary work done.

As Elias began arranging some of the files, one of the lawyers moved out of the bar for lawyers and stretched, groaning, “Ahhhhhh, yes! Now the day is over!”

“Yep, yep, yep,” Divine agreed, taking up the books in which he would make the entries for the day. “After your plenty drilling and things. Ei, Counsel Amegbo!”

The lawyer laughed. “Chale, that old man knows what he’s doing. He thinks he’s smart aaama, but he doesn’t know the grilling I’ve got in store for him. Abi we’ll be back next week.”

Divine smiled and shook his head. Lawyer Marty Amegbo was one of the most familiar lawyers in this court. It was as if residents of the area had gathered together in one accord to decide that he would be the one to handle most of their cases.

“Oh yeah. We wait to see what you have in store for him. See you, then,” he responded as Lawyer Amegbo and the other lawyer proceeded to leave the courtroom.

Meanwhile, at the right end of the courtroom, Natalie, who was busily making corrections to some of the words on the numerous Word documents open, called out, “Wayne! Please bring me the docket for this criminal case… this one… the assault one.”

“Alright.”

He calmly took the file and walked over to her, handing it over to her. As she reached out to take it, he squinted at her hand.

“Ah! Nat! Is that a ring I see on your finger?” he asked loudly. It was not just any ring; there was a diamond on it. And it was on her ring finger.

That obviously attracted the attention of everyone. Everyone in the court knew about her relationship with one Naphtali Amanie, a young banker working in one of the country’s top banking institutions, and how she constantly gushed over him and proclaimed her everlasting love for him. So everyone was eagerly awaiting the day she would let them know they were tying the knot.

“Ei, Natalie!” Nana Appiah exclaimed, walking over to her from the back of the courtroom where he was usually stationed. “Mister Naphtali popped the question anaa?”

Within minutes, the court workers were gathered at her table, excitedly asking questions and offering congratulations.

Natalie, flustered by how all the attention had suddenly switched to her, grinned and gesticulated for order to prevail. “Let me talk, let me talk,” she gently requested.

“Eish, Kevin de Bruyne settings!” Wayne quipped mischievously.

Those who got the joke laughed for a moment before calming down, ready to hear what news she had.

“Yes, so… I was going to make the announcement official in some other way bi, but now that Bra Wayne has to come to spoil my movement, I’ll have to spill the beans now.”

She shot him a dirty look as he snickered.

“So yes, two weeks ago, on Sunday evening, after the communion service, Mr. Amanie and I got into the car, ready for him to take me home. When I sat down, then he was like ‘oh, wait, lemme adjust your seat’. There was nothing wrong with the seat, too, but me, I thought it was him and his romantic things. So I said okay. There norr, this man reached down from under the seat and pulled out this box. People, the way I was excited, eh! See me screaming like a mad woman in the car!”

Everyone laughed.

“Then he started telling me how happy his life has been since I came into it. How I make him smile every blessed day, I’m the best thing he’s ever had, and how he’d be a fool not to make me his. Then he asked me the question, and I said ‘Absolutely Yes!’ We decided to keep it under wraps until we officially completed the knocking. That was done just this Saturday, so yeah, it is settled and it is official. I’m getting married to the love of my life!”

Everyone laughed and applauded.

“Awww, congratulations, Nat!”

“Wonderful news, Natalie!”

“So happy for you, Nat!”

Natalie’s face was flushed with delight. “Thanks, everyone. I’m so grateful. And trust me, the wedding is gonna be grannnddddd! You guys will love it!”

“Eish, the way you’re saying grand diɛɛ, asɛ Royal Wedding GH version ooo!” Wayne teased.

“Chale! Serious! Anaa it’s Kency2020 levels?” Divine asked.

“Ebei! Na where will the fancy cars and things come from? I beg, I no reach like that ooo!” Natalie laughed. “It’s gonna be big, but not that big.”

“Nice. Nice,” Elias commented. “It’s been in the pipeline to have something that big, I guess.”

“Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. We’ve been preparing for this. Done the savings and all. Now it’s about to become a reality!”

The officer, Nana Adjei, nodded. “Not bad. Congrats once again, Natalie. Marriage is a beautiful thing.”

Natalie nodded, the dreamiest of expressions on her face. “It is, Officer, it really is. And I can’t wait to start it with my boo. My amazing Naphtali.”

Well, this is a pretty simple intro to the workers here. At least we know one of them is getting married soon. Should be interesting to observe…