News Desk
Malé, Maldives — After years of complaints about delays and cramped working conditions, the Criminal Court’s move into a new building has sharply accelerated its work. Court statistics show a rise in productivity that officials say was impossible in the old facility.
The Criminal Court began operating from the new Justice Building Annex in Hulhumalé on 27 July 2025, following its inauguration by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.
The court reported that 1,062 cases were filed last year and distributed among 11 judges. Many judges carried workloads of more than 100 cases, and some ended the year with as many as 200 pending. Even so, the court decided 1,380 cases during the same period, a decision rate it described as 130 percent.
Officials attribute the shift to the expanded facilities opened last year in Hulhumalé. For years, the Department of Judicial Administration warned that limited space was slowing proceedings and contributing to a growing backlog. The new building appears to have eased those constraints. Before the move, the court averaged 72 case decisions a month. By the end of last year, that figure had climbed to 175, an increase of 140 percent.
Chief Justice Adam Mohamed said the pace of work is now unprecedented in the court’s history. Releasing last year’s statistics, he said 2025 would be a year of relief for the Criminal Court, noting that the building previously used by the court had deteriorated to the point of being unusable.
“In 2023, most of the building used by the Criminal Court was destroyed and the Judicial Service Commission ordered it to cease use,” he said. The disruption lasted two and a half years, during which the backlog grew and delays worsened. The number of cases completed in 2022 fell by 55 percent compared with 2023.
According to the Chief Justice, the opening of the Justice Building Annex on July 27, 2025, and the court’s relocation there resolved the slowdown. He said the full impact of the improved space will be reflected in the 2025 figures.
“The estimate for 2025 is promising. The statistics show that the work of the Criminal Court is moving at an unprecedented pace and that cases involving defendants in custody are being completed,” he said.
The court’s internal breakdown shows uneven workloads among judges. Judge Ali Nadeem decided the highest number of cases, with 302 completed. Judge Hussain Faiz handled the fewest, with 56. On average, each judge decided 113 cases over the year.
Court officials say the improved environment has reduced public complaints and allowed staff to manage caseloads more effectively. They also say the institution is preparing measures to resolve a long‑standing issue involving remand custody cases, which they expect to settle this year.
