Minister of Justice Mr. Abdellatif Ouahbi, has disclosed that the Justice Ministry has issued two decrees about building a number of justice courts across various cities of the Kingdom, including Ouarzazat, Errachidiya, Safi, Essaouira, Agadir, Taroudant, Tetouan Chefchaouen, Beni Mellal, Oujda, Figuig and Al Hoceima, in the context of bringing judicial services closer to citizens.
This has come in his response to two questions by both the PAM and Istiqlal parties’ parliamentary teams about shortage of courts of justice in Southern areas, during the oral questions session held last Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at the Counselors House.
Minister Ouahbi has confirmed that the recent inauguration of the temporary judicial center in Bir Guendouz, enters in the context of outreach policy to bring judicial services closer to citizens, which the Ministry is endeavoring to implement in various areas of the Kingdom.
Mr. Ouahbi stated “the recent inaugurations made by the Ministry in Laayoune, Terfaya, Boujdour and Bir Guendiouz, are aimed at bringing the judiciary closer to litigants and lifting hardship on them making the judiciary at the service of citizens, and also bringing some adjustment to the judiciary map in our country”; making clear that the Ministry will initiate the implementation of this policy in all areas of the Kingdom, starting from the Eastern areas and Souss.
Regarding the budget envelope for the construction of those justice courts, Minister Ouahbi has revealed that the construction of an independent facility for family judiciary totaled MAD 12 million; a new court of first instance in Smara MAD 72 million; a new judiciary center in Terfaya MAD 16 million; and a regional custody center in Laayoune MAD 22 million.
Concerning other projects in the process of completion, and which will be completed next year, Minister of Justice said that there is a project to rebuild the court of first instance in Laayoune, in Boujdour and Bir Guendouz, as well as another court of appeal in Dakhla, in Boujdour and in Guelmim.